A New Life
by Right4Me
Summary: Charlotte and Cooper post 3.13 Charlotte moves in with Violet, Charlotte and Cooper try to figure out if they can live better with or without each other. All characters will be involved to some extent in the story. Multi-chapters
1. Chapter 1 The Wedding

**Chapter 1 – At The Wedding:** This follows episode 3.13 when Charlotte moves in with Violet .

Charlotte and Violet were drinking mimosa's this Sunday morning while they waited for Charlotte's date, Scott, to pick them up for Maya's wedding.

"What's wrong with you Violet?" "You look like you're ready to puke up your breakfast!" said Charlotte in a snarky tone

"Oh Charlotte. I'm sick about this wedding. Sam asked me to help plan it. I never planned a wedding before. I hope I didn't screw anything up. And I don't have a date as usual." Violet told her

"Relax! I'm sure it will be just fine! You can ride with me and Scott to the church. I bet Cooper will bring some bimbo from the internet for a date." Charlotte told her

"At least **you** have a date. I'm flying solo as usual. It must be the crazy!" Violet said as you finished her drink

"How many times do I need to tell you, Vi, you are not crazy" Charlotte said while looking out the window for her date!

"You're the only one who thinks I'm sane for walking out on Lucas." Violet said

"You left him because you can't be a good mother to him. That is being sane and I get that more than you know" Charlotte answered

"What do you mean Charlotte? Why would you get that? You don't have kids." Violet said in an inquirng voice

"Violet. There is a lot you don't know about me." Charlotte told her

"What? Charlotte do you have a kid somewhere out there?" Violet asked

"Don't ask me questions Turner. I can't talk about it. I'm a different person now." Charlotte told her new friend

The door bell rang. It was Charlotte's date. Scott was a new surgeon, from out of town, Charlotte recently hired him to work at the hospital. He was very attractive, tall and muscular in his thirties with dark hair and bright blue eyes. He was an all around good guy and Charlotte started dating him about two weeks ago. Violet answered the door and welcomed him in.

"Good morning ladies! You both look beautiful," Scott announced as he walked in and gave Charlotte a kiss on the cheek. o

Are you sure I wont be imposing by riding with you guys to the wedding? Violet asked.

Of course not! You are letting me live with you for darn sake. I think we can handle giving you a ride. Charlotte bellowed.

**AT THE CHURCH**

As the three friends were waiting in front of the church for the other guests to arrive, Scott's cell phone rang.

"I'm sorry ladies but I have an emergency at the hospital. I have to go but I will make it up to you later, Charlotte." Scott told them

"Okay. You better!" Charlotte said as she gave him a kiss was really starting to like Scott. He made her think of Cooper a little bit less lately.

A few moments later, Cooper walked up the Church steps with a blonde following behind.

"Good Morning Vi , Charlotte. I'd like to introduce you to Julia." Cooper told them

"Nice to meet ya'll ". Julia said with the same southern drawl that Charlotte spoke with. Julia was petite and blonde like Charlotte.

"Nice to meet you." Charlotte and Violet said together.

Charlotte felt happy to know that Cooper was trying to date a carbon copy of her. She felt like he still wanted her back and she secretly wanted him back too.

"I better go find a sea"t Charlotte told him.

"Where is your new boyfriend, Scott?" I expected to see him here.

"He was. He got called into work on an emergency." Charlotte explained

"Oh! That is too bad". Cooper said with a big grin.

Charlotte took a seat in the front row near Violet and Cooper sat right next to Charlotte. He moved in so close that their thighs were touching.

Julia noticed this telling Cooper. "What is wrong with you? I don't bite."

Charlotte giggled to herself, overhearing this.

The ceremony began with Sam walking Maya down the aisle. Maya looked beautiful and it reminded Charlotte of her wedding day of her and Big Daddy walking down the aisle.

Charlotte listened as the bride and groom exchanged vows and couldn't help but remember saying her wedding vows with Ethan, her ex. Her eyes started to tear and Cooper noticed. He placed his hand on hers to comfort her and she appreciated the gesture. Julia noticed too and shot Cooper a nasty glare.

When the ceremony was over, Julia told Cooper she had a headache and left. Cooper was not disappointed,

"How will we get to the party since Scott had to go to the hospital?" Violet asked.

Cooper was excited to offer them a ride and show them the new sports car he just bought.

**AT THE RECEPTION**

"I hope they have an open bar I could really use a martini. "Charlotte said loud.

"Me too," agreed Violet and they found the bar.

"I'll just have a beer since I'm the designated driver". Cooper could see his two favorite ladies really needed to drink more than him.

Charlotte called out for the bartender. "Hey can we get some more drinks down here?"

After a few drinks Violet yelled "Come on Char this is my favorite song . Let's dance!"

"Sure. Why the hell not Turner." Charlotte yelled back

Soon a slow song came on and Sheldon asked Violet to dance.

"May I have this dance?" Cooper asked Charlotte.

"Sure. Why not?" Charlotte slurred.

They danced slow and close and Cooper wished that he never broke up with her. He wished he never said all those horrible words to her. Charlotte looked up into Cooper's eyes and kissed him. It was a passionate kiss and he knew she was drunk.

"I better take you home now, Char. People are staring at us and you don't want Sam and Addison to see you acting like this.".

"Okay," was all Charlotte could manage to say as she was feeling a bit light headed..

Please review and let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2 Charlotte and Cooper

Chapter 2 -** Charlotte and Cooper**

Cooper drove Charlotte home from the reception in his brand new sports car.

"So tell me what you think? Do you like my car?" cooper asked

"It's great." Charlotte said although she could hardly notice anything but the blasting loud stereo. She was feeling dizzy from all the drinks she had at the reception.

"I forgot to eat today Coop. My head is spinning a little." Charlotte told him

"That and all the martini's you had. Don't worry we're pulling in the driveway now." coop said

"Oh good." Charlotte said. Cooper walked her to the door.

"Do you want to come inside and see what I've done with the guest room? It's the same room you stayed in when you were living here." Charlotte asked

"Sure!" Cooper said as he helped her upstairs.

"Wow! You painted and hung pictures on the wall." Cooper noticed the white satin sheets on the bed.

"Yes and I built that bookcase into the wall myself." Charlotte explained

"Charlotte, you amaze me. Where do you find the time to do all this with two jobs?" Cooper asked

"Well, since we broke up, I have had a lot of spare time at night." Charlotte answefed

"Oh." Cooper was glad to hear she spent her spare time at home.

"Coop, can you help me with my zipper in the back? I can't reach it and I want to change into something comfortable." Charlotte asked

"No problem." He had helped her undo her zippers many times before. He slid down the zipper and helped her out of the dress. He spun her around and began to kiss her. She kissed him back and soon they were on the bed with the white satin sheets.

"I've missed you so much Charlotte," Cooper whispered in her ear as she pulled off his shirt and kissed his neck.

"Me too". Charlotte whispered back as she nibbled on his ear. Cooper climbed on top of her and looked into her big green eyes.

"I love you Charlotte" Cooper whispered. Charlotte looked back in Cooper's eyes and could see he was sincere. "I love the way you love me Coop." He knew what she meant. She loved him.

About two hours later Charlotte woke up back in Coopers arms .. She loved being with him. She saw he was still sleeping so felt safe saying it out loud.

"Cooper I wish we could stay like this forever. Me and you holding each other all alone." Charlotte told him thinking he was asleep

Cooper opened his eyes and agreed "Yeah, me too Charlotte. I wish we could freeze time"

There was a banging at the door. "Charlotte! Are you in there? You and Cooper just left me at the party. I had to get a ride home with Sheldon and listen to him analyze me." Violet hollered

Charlotte didn't answer so Violet opened the door and walked in. She saw Cooper lying in bed with Charlotte. "Sorry," she said and quickly left the room.

Charlotte was embarrassed and jumped out of bed. She felt the sheets were damp and something cool dripping down her leg.

"Cooper! Why didn't you use a condom?" Charlotte shouted as she put her robe on.

"We never use condoms Charlotte. We haven't used one in over a year." cooper told her

"I know but now that you are dating , I thought you would be using them again." Charlotte said

"I do, with other girls but not you. You're mine! Don't worry I've used them with everyone else I've been with, you wont catch anything from me." Cooper told her

"That's not what I'm worried about." Charlotte said anxiously.

"Then what? You're on the pill, so what else is there to worry about?" Cooper asked

"I stopped taking the pill when we broke up Cooper." Charlotte told him

"Why did you do that Char?" asked Cooper

"Why should I put those hormones in my body if I'm not having sex?" Charlotte explained annoyed

"You mean you haven't had sex since we broke up?" Cooper was surprised

"Nope!" Charlotte said proud

"What about with Scott?" asked Cooper

"No, we haven't had sex yet. I want to do it right this time. I want Scott and I to get to know each other as friends first. We go out to dinner and the movies and kiss but no sex." Charlotte told him

Wow! Charlotte. I 'm shocked! Cooper said happily.

What is that supposed to mean? She asked defensively. You think all I ever want to do is screw? Because that is all you ever want to do, not me, but think I'm a sex toy you found on the internet?

"Charlotte, I didn't mean those things I said." Cooper said apologetically

"Then why did you say them?" Charlotte wanted to know

"I wanted to hurt you because you hurt me by lying about your marriage." cooper explained

"I told you I can't talk about it. I'm a different person now." Charlotte said starting to get annoyed

"That is what you always say and I'm sick of hearing it! Now I remember why we broke up." Cooper quickly got dressed and left the room. He passed Violet who was listening in the hall without looking at her.

Violet walked in the room and she saw Charlotte had tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay Charlotte?" Violet asked concerned

"If I said yes would you leave me alone?" snapped Charlotte

"No, because I heard what you and Cooper said to each other" Violet told her.

"Were you listening to us?" Charlotte asked

"I couldn't help it .You guys were loud." Violet told her

Sorry. I'm ruining your peace and quiet. Do you want me out of here?" asked Charlotte

"No Charlotte, We're good. I like you staying here. . My life was boring before you moved in. Did Cooper really call you a sex toy from the internet?" Violet asked

"Yup! He hates me and I'm the fool who just slept with him again." Charlotte said

"Cooper loves you and you know it. That's why you slept with him." Violet reasurred Charlotte

"Why does he act like he hates me?" Charlotte asked upset

"He's hurt about your marriage but also I think he feels inadequate. He thinks that he is not good enough for you." Violet explaine

"I don't try to make him feel like that." Charlotte sain sincerely

"No, but he feels like it himself. Ever since I've known Cooper he has always acted like a twelve year old boy. He gets along great with his patients because they are all children. You're his first serious adult relationship and he wants to be the man. He wants to take care of you but so far you've been taking care of him." Violet said in her therapist voice

"How have I been taking care of him?" questioned Charlotte

"You paid his share of the money for the practice. You redid his bathroom. You helped him when he was in jail. You're a strong woman and he just wants you to need him." Violet told her

"I do need him. He makes me laugh and feel loved and happy. He used to anyway." Charlotte said sadly

"He feels like he is not man enough for you. He thinks you compare him to your ex husband and he imagines your ex husband took good care of you." Violet told her.

"He doesn't know anything about my ex- Ethan. If he thinks Ethan is so great why does he think we are divorced?" Charlotte said

"He doesn't know Charlotte, because you wont tell him. Maybe if you just gave him a little information." Violet treid to explain.

"I can't Violet. I can't go back there." Charlotte told her

"I know you already told me that and I bet you have a kid from what you said earlier." Violet said inquiring.

"Please Violet, can you just drop it?" Charlotte said

"So do you think Cooper may have got you pregnant this afternoon?" Violet asked

"I guess you heard that part too? Yes, there is a good chance." Charlotte told her

"Having sex once without protection doesn't mean you will get pregnant, Charlotte. I don't think you should worry." Violet reassured her

"For me it does. I've always been super fertile." Charlotte explained

"How many times have you been pregnant?" asked Violet

"Three times while I was married to Ethan." Charlotte was saved by the ringing of her cell phone. It was Scott.

"Sorry I had to miss the wedding. Did you and Violet have a good time?" Scott asked politely

"It was fine. Maya looked beautiful and Sam looked like a proud papa" Charlotte answered .

"Do you want me to bring over a movie to watch tonight?" Scott asked

"Okay! That sounds good ,Scott" Charlotte said starting to cheer up now.

"What kind? a comedy? or a mystery ? maybe a horror flick?" asked Scott

"A comedy. I could definitely go for a comedy tonight." Charlotte told him

"Okay, I'll bring a pizza too. I'll be by about eight tonight." Scoot said

"Scott 's coming over tonight. He's gonna bring us pizza and a movie." Charllotte told Violet

"I'll stay in my room and read my Jane Austen book. I don't like being the third wheel." Violet said

"No way Turner. This is your house. I can't have you hibernating in your room besides I want you there to chaperone." Charlotte demanded.

"What? Why?" asked Violet

"You see that Scott is a hottie and I don't want to be tempted. I wanna do it right with him. I want him to respect me. Not that he thinks I'm a sex object like Cooper does." Charlotte told her

"Then I'll eat pizza and watch the movie with you.. Are you going to tell him about what happened between you and Cooper this afternoon?" Violet asked

"Yup, I want to start our relationship with honesty. If he hates me then so be it. We've only been seeing each other two weeks. I'm not that invested yet." Charlotte said confidentely.

At eight pm the doorbell rang, Violet answered. There was Scott looking hot as ever.

"Come in Scott."" What movie did you bring us?" Violet asked

"Hangover . " Scott Said "Did you see it yet? I heard it was good." He told them

"No, I can't remember the last time I went to the movies," Violet admitted.

"I saw it at the movies with Cooper. It was really funny. I don't mind watching it again at all". Charlotte called out from the dining room as she fixed them all martini's.

The three friends ate pizza as they watched the movie and sipped on martini's. They were all laughing and Charlotte felt like life was good. Violet had not laughed this much or this hard in a while. Charlotte was happy to see her friend enjoying herself. After the movie Violet went upstairs and left Charlotte alone to talk to Scott about the events of this afternoon. Charlotte had knots in her stomach. Scott there is something I need to tell you about. It happened after the wedding.

TBC Please review!


	3. Chapter 3 Charlotte and Scott

**Chapter 3- Charlotte and Scott**

Charlotte was nervous to tell Scott what happened after the wedding but she knew she had to if she wanted to base their relationship on trust.

"I slept with Cooper today. I had too much too drink at the party so he drove me home and things just happened. I regret it! But mostly I don't want to hurt **our** friendship. I really enjoy spending time with you Scott and I would like us to go further." Charlotte told nim

"Thanks for being honest Charlotte. I don't know what else to say." Scott responded.

"Say that you still want to date me. Say that you don't hate me." Charlotte told him

"I don't hate you. I like you and I would like us to get more serious, but you have to be over Cooper." Scott told her firmly.

"Cooper and I lived together and we were a couple for almost two years so it is going to be hard to forget that but I want to. He's treated me bad and called me some horrible names that I can't forgive him for." Charlotte explained

"I'm going to trust you Charlotte. I want to take our relationship to the next level, whatever that is" Scott said.

"How about boyfriend/ girlfriend? We can have an understanding that we are a couple and neither one can date anyone else. How does that sound?" Charlotte asked Scott hopefully.

"That sounds good to me". Scott leaned in and gave Charlotte a kiss. She kissed back. He started to remove her shirt.

"No Scott. I want to leave our clothes on for now. I have to make sure Cooper didn't get me pregnant and then I will start the pill and we can celebrate." Charlotte told Scott.

"Why do you think he got you pregnant?" asked Scott

"Cooper didn't use anything and I just have this feeling. I want to be sure." Charlotte told him.

"When will you know?" asked Scott

"In a few weeks, we have to be patient a few weeks. Okay?" Charlotte reasurred him.

"I hope you're not pregnant but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Why did you and Cooper break up anyway?" Scott asked.

"Cooper was angry with me because I was married once before and I just told him about it recently. He wanted to know the details which I can't really talk about so now he hates me." said Charlotte

"Cooper seems immature to me." Scott told Charlotte.

"Yes, he is." Charlotte laughed .

"I was also married once before and I don't really like to talk about it because my ex-wife is a witch. Thinking about her makes me cringe." Scott explained

"Do you have any children?" Charlotte asked

"Yes, we got married because she was pregnant. We have one daughter. Her name is Lacey and she is thirteen years old. We divorced when she was only four." Scott told her.

"Do you ever get to see Lacey?' Charlotte asked interested.

"They live in Canada, I get her for two weeks every summer, then for one week every other Christmas. She spends one week of spring break with my parents in Canada . I always spoil her when she is with me because I know her mother tries to poison her mind against me." Scott explained.

"That's awful of her mother to do that." Charlotte told him.

"My ex wife is an awful person, at least when it comes to me. How about you? Do you have any children?" asked Scott.

"I do. It is a long story and I can't talk about it without having to take valium or something to keep calm". Charlotte was starting to feel shaky and Scott noticed.

"Okay Charlotte, we wont talk about it. But from my own experience I find that if you tell someone about your problems, it makes it easier. With each person you tell it gets easier and easier. It feels like a weight being lifted off your shoulders." Scott reasurred her

"I wish I could talk about it Scott. I hate feeling this way. But I can't say the words and thinking about it makes me physically ill." Charlotte told him.

"What if I asked you questions and you just answer? Would you be willing to try that?" Scott asked.

"We can give it a shot. But I can't promise you any thing." Charlotte answered nervously.

"Okay then. Let's start now. The first question is how many children do you have?" Scott asked.

"Well", Charlotte's voice was quiet and shaky. "I had three but now there are two left."

"Did one of your children pass away Charlotte?" Scott asked gently.

"Yes". That was all Charlotte could say as she stared at a spot on the floor.

"Can you tell me your child's name or how old your child was?" Scott asked.

Still staring at the spot on the floor Charlotte answered quietly. "Chelsea was 5."

"Was she sick or was it an accident? Scott could see Charlotte was getting upset and wasn't sure if he should continue questioning her. Violet had just come downstairs for a drink of water and she could see they were having a serious conversation. Scott used his lips to tell Violet to stay without saying the word out loud. Charlotte was still staring at the spot on the floor. Scott knew Violet was a psychiatrist and thought she might be able to help.

"It was an accident". Charlotte said so quiet you could barely hear her.

"Do you want me to stop Charlotte? Or is it okay if I continue to ask you questions?" Scott asked in a soft gentle voice.

"I 'm okay." Charlotte said holding back the tears.

"Can you tell me about Chelsea's accident?" Scott asked.

It was a bus ,her school bus. I was late to pick her up at the bus stop so she crossed in front of it by herself. She dropped her lunch box and bent down to pick it up. The driver didn't see her. I got there right after it happened. Everyone knew I was a doctor so they let me near her. There was nothing I could do. She was already gone. My baby was gone and it was my fault." Charlotte said and started sobbing uncontrollably. Then she started vomiting and up came her pizza on Violets floor. She started to tremble violently.

Violet tried to calm her down by rubbing her back and telling her it wasn't her fault. It was an accident. It wasn't working Charlotte kept retching and shaking.

"Maybe we should give her a sedative to calm her "Scott told Violet.

"I think that's a good idea." Violet said as she ran up to her medicine cabinet and grabbed a bottle of sedatives she used herself in the months after Katie cut Lucas out of her.

Charlotte wouldn't take it. "No I can't! You don't understand I can't take that stuff anymore". Charlotte said as sh tried to calm herself down but she couldn't stop the retching and shaking.

"I think we should take her to the hospital." Scott told Violet.

"The problem with that idea is she is Chief of Staff and we can't let her staff see her this way." Violet told him.

"What do you suggest then, Violet? You're a shrink. We can't just leave her hysterical like this. She is making herself violently sick." Scott said worried.

"I know. I'm going to run up to the hospital and get some IM valium. If she is not calm by the time I get back, I'll just give it to her." Violet said as she headed out the door in a hurry.

Scott tried to console Charlotte but she kept retching .There was some blood in the vomit now. It was an awful sight. She couldn't stop and Scott was worried she would rupture veins in her esophagus and hemorrhage. She was visibly trembling too.

Violet came back in the door.

"You better give her the med. She is starting to vomit some blood." Scott told Violet.

Violet went over to Charlotte and stuck her in the thigh with a shot of valium.

Charlotte was stunned but after a few minutes the retching stopped. The trembling was getting less severe. Scott held Charlotte in his arms. He was sorry he got her to talk about her little girl. Charlotte fell asleep in his arms.

"I shouldn't have had her talk about it. I had no idea something that tragic happened." Scott said to Violet

"It's good she told us Scott. Now we can help her. She blames herself for the accident and has never confronted her grief. I think she just ran away from it and started a new life here in LA so she doesn't have to deal with it" Violet said in her shrinks voice.

"There's more to her story. She told me she had two other children that are still alive. She must have left them after the accident." Scott explained to Violet

"I guess they are with her ex-husband". Violet wondered out loud. "She may also feel guilty for leaving them behind." Violet felt terrible. She didn't like Charlotte until recently. Charlotte came off to her as cold and rude at first. Violet finally understood why. Charlotte was mad at the world for what happened to her little girl. Violet should have understood. She is a psychiatrist. She should have figured there was some reason behind Charlotte's cold attitude. Violet began to get tears in her eyes.

"Oh no", Scott said out loud." Now you are going to start crying too?"

"Don't worry, I'm okay. You don't need to give me any valium Scott. I just feel like a bad friend. I wish I had been nicer to Charlotte before." Violet told him.

" You had no idea." Scott told Violet.

"Why don't we all get some sleep. Charlotte will feel better in the morning. I hope." Scott said and he hoped it was true.

**REVIEW PLEASE!!!**


	4. Chapter 4 A New Life

**Chapter 4- Another New Life**

Charlotte woke up first Monday morning. She felt good. That was the best night of sleep she had since she told Cooper she was married before. Since then her sleep was restless. She tossed and turned in her sleep hoping Cooper would forgive her. But after Violet gave her the shot of valium last evening, she slept soundly through the night. She looked around and saw Violet was sleeping next to her in her bed. Scott was sleeping on the floor next to the bed. They all had the same clothes on they wore yesterday while they watched the movie, except Charlotte had on a different shirt. It slowly came back to her, she remembered that she told them about Chelsea.

"Good morning". Violet said as she woke up.

"Mornin Vi." What are you doin in my bed?" Charlotte asked her

"I wanted to make sure you were okay after I gave you the valium. I didn't want to leave you alone and I know you wouldn't want me to leave you alone with Scott." Violet explained.

"Thank you Turner. I owe you." Charlotte said

"That's what friends are for Charlotte. If you need to talk about anything I am here." Violet said gently and meant it.

"Thanks and ditto to you " Charlotte said " We better wake up Scott. We all have to go to work this morning."

Violet was a little concerned. Charlotte seemed to be ignoring all that happened last night but Violet knew not to push her into talking about Chelsea again.

*** **For the next three weeks **Charlotte, Scott and Violet went about their business and never brought up Chelsea or that they needed to give Charlotte a shot of valium.

Charlotte and Violet arrived at Oceanside Wellness group for the morning meeting.

"Why are you drinking tea this morning Charlotte? You always drink coffee." asked Violet.

"I just feel like a change Violet. No big deal." Charlotte told her.

"You're pregnant!! Aren't you?" Cooper shouted from the other side of the conference room. "You can't drink coffee because of the caffeine. Did you take a test yet?" Cooper wanted to know.

**"NO!"** Charlotte snapped at Cooper. Charlotte was embarrassed because Addison and Sam were staring at her now with their mouths open.

"Well you need to take a test! Cooper shouted. You could be pregnant! We need to know!" Cooper said anxiously

"Are you late Charlotte?" Addison asked concerned.

"Yes, about five days late." Charlotte responded.

"You can take a sample test from my office after the meeting if you want." Addison told her.

"Yes we will do that ".Cooper answered before Charlotte could say anything.

After the meeting Cooper grabbed a test stick from Addison's office. He got Charlotte and took her into the bathroom. Charlotte did the test and then handed it to Cooper.

"Here Cooper. I don't have time to read the results. I have a patient waiting in my office." Charlotte said as she rushed off.

AS Charlotte left Addison and Violet came in the bathroom curious about the test.

About 30 seconds later Cooper looked at the test strip. It had turned positive already. Cooper was excited .Look Vi it turned positive already and the time isn't even up yet." Cooper said enthusiatically.

"Congratulations new daddy!" Addison told Cooper. Cooper hugged Violet and started jumping up and down with her." I'm going to be a dad Violet! I'm going to be a dad!"

Violet was excited for Cooper. She hadn't seen him happy in a long time.

"Now you have to tell Charlotte she is pregnant. "Violet was worried about Charlotte's reaction. She knew Scott wouldn't be celebrating the results.

Every time Cooper tried to talk to Charlotte she avoided him. I have a patient she would say or I need to make an important phone call. Clearly she was nervous about the results.

At the end of the day Cooper came to her office. "Charlotte you're pregnant". he announced.

"I had a feeling about it," was all Charlotte said.

"I want to be there for you Charlotte. I want to be there for our baby. I think we should try to work things out" Cooper told her.

"I'm with Scott now Cooper. You can be involved with the pregnancy and the baby as much as you want but you can't have me." Charlotte explained.

"I'm not giving up Charlotte. I want you back. I want you and our baby. We created a new life together Charlotte and that is amazing." he told her as he left.

Charlotte could see how excited Cooper was. She was happy too. She hid it from everyone but she was happy to be carrying Cooper's baby. She wanted to give Cooper another chance but she was afraid. Too much bad stuff was said. Too many hurt feelings. Scott was nice to her, Scott respected her and she needed someone like Scott right now. She was tired of always fighting with Cooper.

Charlotte met Scott for dinner that night at their favorite restaurant.

"I have some news to tell you Scott." Charlotte was a little nervous and Scott noticed.

"Let me save you the trouble of saying it." You are pregnant with Cooper's baby?

"How did you know?" Charlotte asked surprised.

"You said you would know in a few weeks. I've been waiting to find out. What will you do about Cooper? Do you want to go back with him for the baby's sake?" Scott asked worried..

"No, we would just start fighting about the same stuff again. I got you now." Charlotte sais as she looked him over with her eyes and gave him a cute grin as she said it.

Scott smiled back." I was afraid you would go back to Cooper."

"Why would I do that when I could have someone as charismatic and hot as you?" Charlotte saod in a playful voice.

"Are you flirting with me Doctor King?" Scott asked as they interlocked hands at the table.

"I want to do more than just flirt with you." Charlotte said as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want to do with me Dr. King?" Scott asked playfully.

"I'll show you tonight! Let's go to a nice hotel. I don't want Violet listening". Charlotte told her handsome boyfriend.

AT THE HOTEL

Scott asked if the honeymoon suite was available. It was expensive but he wanted their first time to be special. The hotel clerk told him it was available and he took it as a good luck sign for their relationship. Charlotte arrived with an overnight bag and met him in the lobby. "Good news. I booked the honeymoon suite. " Scott told Charlotte. They took a private elevator that opened up into their suite. Scott picked Charlotte up and carried her to the bed. He gently placed her down and turned on the stereo. He found a station that played romance songs.

"Look!" "There's champagne and some glasses in the ice bucket on the bed." Charlotte told Scott.

Scott poured the champagne. Charlotte remembered she was pregnant but a couple sips wouldn't hurt the baby.

Scott made a toast. "To the most beautiful and smartest woman I ever met, My Princess Alabama! I hope we have a long and happy future together."

They clinked glasses and sipped the champagne.

"Charlotte, I wasn't thinking. You're pregnant." Scott remembered as they were already drinking it.

"It's okay. A few sips wont hurt me." Charlotte boasted playfully.

Another song came on the stereo and Scott began singing along to it.

"I love this song." Charlotte told him. Charlotte liked his deep throaty voice but when he sang softly to her she was amazed. All she could to do was sit there and listen to him.

He had the hands of a surgeon she noticed as he gently ran his fingers through her hair and stroked her face.

He sang the words from the song as he began to unbutton her blouse-_The smell of your skin. The taste of your kiss. The way you whisper in the dark. _He laid her down and continued singing as he caressed her body. _Your hair all around me baby you surround me. It feels like the first time everytime. I want to spend the whole night in your arms._

Charlotte was frozen in awe of him. It was like she was being hypnotized by his voice. He took off his clothes and continued singing as Charlotte just stared at him.-_I don't know how you do what you do. I'm so in love with you. It just keeps getting better._

He gently got on top of her. He looked into her eyes and continued to sing-_I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side forever and ever. Every little thing that you do baby I'm amazed by you._ And he meant it. He was amazed by her and she was amazed by him. The song ended and Charlotte came out of her trance. They began kissing.

They woke up the next morning in each others arms. Charlotte was thinking. She was surprised at how this man made her feel. She let him be on top their first time together. She liked to be on top in the beginning. She wanted the guys to know she was the boss and in control. After they understood this she would let them have a turn to be on top when she was in the mood for it. But not with Scott. She surrendered to him their first time together. She let him take control and she liked it. She was a little worried she was turning soft but with Scott it would be okay. She trusted him. He would never hurt her like Cooper or Ethan did. She just knew it. He was different.

"Good morning Princess Alabama!" Scott said with a big smile.

Charlotte laughed. She liked that he nicknamed her after her home state of Alabama. "Good morning to you Romeo" she said back. She nick named him that because he was the most romantic man she had ever dated.

"How about we order room service for breakfast?" Scott asked.

"That sounds perfect to me. "Charlotte answered.

"I wish we could stay here all day but unfortunately I have to be in the OR at nine." Scott told his princess.

"That's okay. I don't mind sharing your strong hands with your patients." she answered

"Well aren't you generous Princess Alabama. Let's meet for lunch at the hospital cafeteria. I should be out of the OR before noon." He asked

"Okay noon at the hospital cafeteria, Romeo." Princess Alabama answered.

Review and let me know. Who do you want Charlotte with Cooper or Scott?


	5. Chapter 5 The Wrath Of Cooper

Chapter 5- **COOPER'S WRATH:**

It was almost noon. Violet had just finished checking in on a patient and was headed to the cafeteria for a bite to eat.

"Wait up Vi. I want to talk to you." Coop called from down the hall.

"Hey Cooper!" Violet was glad to see he was still in a good mood this morning.

"Vi . How's Charlotte this morning?" She missed the meeting at Oceanside Wellness." I thought maybe she had morning sickness. I called her cell but got her voice mail." Cooper explained.

"I wouldn't know. I didn't see her this morning." Violet told him.

"Violet you live with her. Why didn't you see her?" Cooper questioned Violet.

"She spent the night with Scott at the Sheraton. It was their first time together so they wanted it to be special. They certainly didn't want me in earshot." Violet explained.

**"What?** Cooper's voice was loud and angry. **How could she spend the night with him?" . **

"Lower your voice Cooper you're shouting in the hospital. People are looking at us." Violet said embarrassed.

Cooper lowered his voice a little. "She's pregnant with my baby and sleeping around like some trashy bimbo!!!."

"Come on Cooper, She's been dating Scott for almost two months and this was their first time together. I wouldn't call that being a trashy bimbo. She really likes him." Violet trid to explain.

"How could she do this to me? I told her yesterday that I wanted to work things out with her. Then she turns around and sleeps with Scott." Cooper said his anger showing.

"Cooper you broke up with her and as I recall you started sleeping aroundwith other women right away." Violet reminded him.

"So now you are on her side. You're supposed to be **my** best friend" Cooper said angrily.

"I'm not taking sides. I'm just being honest. I am your friend." Violet told him.

"Not anymore. Cooper told her. I'm done with you!" He yelled as he walked away from her.

Cooper headed to the cafeteria and Violet followed upset.

"Please Cooper don't be like this. You really need a friend now. I'm trying to help" Violet pleaded.

Scott was heading into the cafeteria to meet Charlotte for lunch. Charlotte was running a little late because her staff meeting went longer than it should have.

Cooper saw Scott walking in the cafeteria and caught up with him

**"So how was she Scott?** **I bet she was real good. She's good in bed. I should know! That's what she does the best! " **Cooper was shouting again and attracting attention.

"Cooper Stop yelling. Remember we're in a hospital with sick people and their families." Violet begged her friend.

"What are you talking about? " Scott asked Cooper.

"I'm talking about Chartlotte." Cooper answered anxiously." I heard you slept with her."

"That's none of your business Cooper." Scott told him.

**"Oh yes it is!" ** Cooper was yelling again. "**She's mine and she's having my baby!"**

"You took advantage of her when she was drunk after the wedding. That's why she got pregnant with your baby." Scott said as he started to walk away

"Is that what she told you Scott? She's a liar. You should know that about her." Cooper heckled at him

"I believe Charlotte!" Scott said as he walked away.

Cooper ran after Scott and tackled him knocking Scott to the ground.

Scott was taken by surprise but he quickly flipped over and pushed Cooper off of him

Cooper started throwing punches at Scott. He remembered how the guy in jail punched him in the face and he did the same to Scott. First in the mouth then between they eyes.

Scott was mad His patients and co workers were watching. He took his strong fist and punched Cooper in the jaw knocking Cooper to the ground.

Violet was screaming for them to stop.

They kept throwing punches at each other.

Pete and Addison walked in the cafeteria with Charlotte and saw the fight.

Pete grabbed Cooper away from Scott and one of Scott's co workers pulled him away from Cooper.

Charlotte felt her heart sink to her stomach. Both men she loved were bleeding and hurt. She didn't know which one to go to. She turned and went back to her office without saying a word. Violet went after her while Addison and Pete tended to Cooper and Scott's co workers aided him.

"Charlotte. Are you okay?" Violet asked as a concerned friend.

"No Violet. I'm not." Charlotte sounded upset. "The two men I love are fighting at work. I'm the Chief of Staff. Normally I would bring them into my office and write them up. I can't exactly do that since they are fighting because of me."

"What do you mean the two men you love Charlotte?" Violet asked.

"I love them both Violet. That's the problem. I've loved Cooper for two years and I just can't turn it off like a faucet." Charlotte tried to explain.

"Cooper has been treating you awful. He said all those cruel things to you." And you would still take him back?" Violet asked.

"I hurt him. I already told you and Scott more about me than Cooper knows. I know it's wrong and I feel terrible. He is hurt and he is lashing out at me for it. He loves me and I'm going to have his baby." Charlotte told Violet.

"Then why didn't you go back to him yesterday when he asked?" Violet asked.

"We always end up fighting when we are alone together. I'm tired of fighting with him." Charlotte said anxiously.

"Tell him about Chelsea like you told me and Scott. Cooper will understand then. He wont fight with you anymore." Violet told her.

"I'm so confused. I love Scott too. He's a perfect gentleman. He calls me Princess Alabama and I melt when I see him. I always feel good when he is around" Charlotte told Violet.

C"ooper makes me feel bad lately but I can't help it. I still love him." Charlotte was pouring her heart out to Violet.

"Charlotte you are going to have to make a decision !" Violet told her.

"Either tell Cooper the truth about Chelsea and your marriage so he calms down and the two of you or I should say the three of you can be a happy family. Or let him go and just keep falling in love with Scott. You have to make a choice." Violet said

"I don't know who to choose Violet. I think I need an objective opinion" Charlotte was asking for Violet's help.

"Okay charlotte, I'll help you figure this out. We'll talk at my office later." Violet reasurred her new friend.

Violet at first felt a little jealous that Charlotte had two great men in love with her. But now she wasn't feeling envious anymore. She felt terrible that someone was going to lose here and she liked them all. She didn't want to see any of them hurting.

Review. Remember to tell me who you want Charlotte to be with.


	6. Chapter 6 Deja vu

**Chapter 6---- Déjà vu**

It was about 7 am Friday morning Charlotte just finished getting ready for work and headed to the kitchen for some tea and toast. She was feeling nauseous. She was about 7 weeks pregnant and morning sickness was setting in. She could smell that Violet was cooking something in the kitchen and it made her even more nauseous.

"Good morning." Violet said in a sing song voice. She seemed to be in an unusually good mood today.

"Mornin . Watcha cookin? " Charlotte gargled out in a southern drawl.

"I made some scrambled eggs, and pancakes from scratch, oh and I cut up fresh strawberries for you and I even got some whip cream because I remember I took yours when I was pregnant with Lucas one time and I never gave it back." Violet said cheerily.

"Ok Turner spill it. What do you need?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't need anything Charlotte." Violet told her.

"Then why'd you make me this big breakfast?" Charlotte asked her.

"I wanted to do it and Cooper told me I should make sure you're eating right." Violet explained.

"I knew there was a reason." Charlotte bellowed.

"Just eat Charlotte." Violet instructed her.

"I could do the pancakes with strawberries and whip cream but I can't manage the eggs." Charlotte told her.

"Why? Are you nauseous already?" Violet asked.

"Yup! A little, but it all looks so yummy. I gotta try these pancakes." Charlotte said eagerly

Charlotte was feeling really nauseous now. The smell of the eggs was almost unbearable. She was touched that Violet woke up early and went through all this trouble for her. She didn't have many close friends in LA, well really none. Charlotte used to have a lot of friends when she was married and live in Maryland. There were her co-workers from the hospital who she enjoyed talking to on lunch breaks. There were the ladies from the moms group she joined. They would meet for play dates and birthday parties several times a month. They cooked for each other whenever anyone had a new baby. Then there were her neighbor's. They took turns having barbeques at each others houses each weekend. And there were her Bunco pals. She played Bunco every Friday night with some women from the neighborhood. Bunco was her favorite. Charlotte was lucky and usually won. Now she was living a whole new life in LA. She didn't have many friends but it didn't bother her until now. When she came to LA a little over five years ago she got the Chief of Staff position at St Ambrose and dedicated herself to that. It was a big responsibility and kept her busy. Her only social life was dating guys for sex from the internet. She wasn't looking for a relationship. She had already been there and done that. Then she met Cooper and he was persistent on pushing a relationship on her. She caved and fell in love with him and look where that got her.

"A penny for your thoughts Char. You look like you're a million miles away." Violet said

Charlotte snapped out of her daydream of the old life in Maryland when she heard Violet. "What? What'd ya say Turner?"

"How are the pancakes Charlotte? Do you like them?" Violet wanted to know.

"Yeah they're good." Charlotte lied, she was so nauseas she couldn't enjoy them. She was forcing herself to swallow them and trying hard to keep them down.

"They're my mother's recipe" Violet started to say when she noticed Charlotte get up and run for the trash can. Charlotte was vomiting now and Violet started to feel sick as well.

Sorry , I tried to keep em down." Charlotte said as she wiped her mouth with a paper towel.

"It's okay. I'll bring the rest into work. Maybe Cooper will like them." Violet hoped.

"Did you have to mention Cooper? I don't want to have to deal with him. I don't think I could stomach his attitude today." Charlotte told her.

Violet knew Charlotte was still upset about the fight Cooper started with Scott.

"Why don't you take the day off Char and just rest. Actually, you should take a couple weeks vacation. You could use some time to yourself to think about what to do about Cooper and Scott. Maybe getting away from the situation will help." Violet explained.

"If you want me out of your way just say it Turner. I can't blame ya with all this vomit. I wouldn't want me around either." Charlotte bellowed

I'm serious Charlotte. I think getting away will clear your mind. We could cover for you at OWG and I know you have someone who covers for you at the hospital." Violet told her.

"Well, Sunday is mama's 60th birthday. Duke and Landry are planning a surprise party for her and invited me. I said I couldn't go but maybe it would be nice to see them." Charlotte said.

"I haven't been back since Big daddy died last year." Charlotte said as she remembered her last trip to Alabama. She remembered how Cooper came and surprised her and comforted her at her time of grief.

"Do it Charlotte! You'll make your mother happy and it will be good for you to get away." Violet insisted.

"Alright. I get the hint. I'll head back to Sweet Home Alabama." Charlotte told her.

Cooper and Sam's eyes lit up when they saw Violet come in with breakfast.

"You cooked for us? What's the occasion Vi?" Cooper asked as he grabbed a strawberry.

"I cooked for Charlotte but she couldn't eat it. I figured someone should enjoy my cooking." Violet told them.

"What's wrong with Charlotte?" Cooper asked.

"Morning sickness and I mean bad. She vomited everything up in my garbage can." Violet said.

"Can you not talk about vomit while I'm eating?" Sam added.

"Is Charlotte coming to work today? I want to apologize to her about the fight with Scott." Cooper said sincerely.

"No. She's leaving for Alabama today. She'll be gone about two weeks. They're having a surprise birthday party for her mother. She could use the rest." Violet told him.

"Is Scott going with her?" Cooper worried.

"No. It was a last minute decision. She's going on her own to spend time with her family." Violet told Cooper.

Cooper was happy. He didn't want to think of Charlotte spending time with Scott.

Charlotte called Scott on the phone. "Hey Romeo! Guess who this is?"

"Hey Princess Alabama, Do you want to meet for lunch today?"

"I can't. That's why I'm calling. I decided to go to Alabama for my mother's birthday. I'll be gone about two weeks. I'll call you every day and we can text every hour if you want."

"Hmmm! I going to miss my princess. Two weeks is a long time." Scott told Charlotte.

"I'll make it up to ya when I get back Romeo." Charlotte said.

"I'm going to hold you to that. Have a good time and call me when you arrive." Scott said.

Got it. I will and she hung up.

* * *

Pete came up to the fifth floor to see Cooper.

"I saw Scott at the hospital this morning on rounds. You must have really messed him up good." Pete told Cooper.

"Why? What are you talking about Pete.?" Cooper was wondering.

"He was popping some pain pills. When I asked him about it he said his back was bothering him from the fight." Pete said

"That'll teach him to fight with the champion." Cooper boasted.

Pete laughed," Don't let it go to your head too much."

* * *

Later that day Cooper went to St. Ambrose to apologize to Scott. He found him in the cafeteria and asked if they could sit down and talk.

"Look Scott I'm sorry I overreacted the other day. I'm not the type of guy who start fights. I want you to know it wont happen again." Cooper said sincerely.

"No problem." Scott said as he popped some hydrocodone. "We're going to have to try to be civil with each other since I'm involved with Charlotte and she's having your kid."

Cooper didn't like hearing that. He thought since Charlotte left for two weeks things may have fizzled out with Scott.

"What are your intentions for Charlotte?" Cooper asked

"Who are you? Her father now?" Scott said sarcastically.

"No. I'm going to give it to you straight Scott. Charlotte is my woman and she always will be. We're having a child so she's stuck with me for life, like it or not." Cooper told him.

I wouldn't be so sure about that Cooper!" Scott announced.

"What do you mean by that?" Cooper was on the defense.

"Charlotte wants to be with me. Just because she's having a child with you doesn't mean she's stuck with you. Look how she left her ex-husband and kids behind in Maryland. She doesn't have anything to do with them." Scott told Cooper.

"WHAT????" Cooper was shocked by what Scott just said.

Scott remembered Charlotte never told Cooper anything about her past marriage and knew he just made a major blunder. He popped a few more pills.

"I shouldn't have said that I forgot she didn't tell you." Scott wished he could eat his words.

"Why would she tell you? "Cooper said almost dazed

"She didn't tell you Cooper because it's really hard for her to talk about. She got physically ill when she told Violet and myself. I understand why she didn't tell you and you would too, if you knew the whole story."

"Then tell me!" Cooper commanded Scott

"It's not mine to tell . If it makes you feel better she only told me a portion of the story then she got too upset and couldn't finish so I don't know everything yet either." Scott got up and left. He hoped Charlotte wouldn't be upset he spilled the beans to Cooper.

* * *

Cooper stormed into Violet Turners office. He was visibly shaken. He was shocked that Charlotte already had kids. He felt like he didn't know her anymore. He didn't know if he was more upset about that or that she told Scott and Violet but not him.

"Hey Coop. What's wrong? " Violet asked concerned about her friend again.

"You knew Violet? You knew and didn't tell me?" Cooper said accusingly.

"Knew about what?" Violet was confused.

"That Charlotte has kids and left them." Cooper said almost yelling.

"Oh that, Yeah , I knew that." Violet said trying to remain calm.

"Why wouldn't you tell me something like that?" Cooper yelled at her.

"I didn't think it was my place." Violet said still remaining calm.

"NOT YOUR PLACE? NOT YOUR PLACE? YOU TELL ME EVERYTHING ELSE! YOU TOLD ME WHEN SHE SLEPT WITH SCOTT FOR THE FIRST TIME! YOU TOLD ME WHEN SHE STARTED UP PACIFIC WELLCARE! SO WHY IS IT ALL OF THE SUDDEN NOT YOUR PLACE TO TELL ME THIS?" Cooper was yelling loudly.

Violet tried to stay calm. She went into her therapist mode. "This is different, Cooper."

"HOW IS IT DIFFERENT????" Cooper shouted at her.

"Charlotte couldn't tell you because her little girl died. She was hit by a school bus and Charlotte feels it's her fault since she was late to pick the child up. Charlotte never dealt with it. She moved to LA and doesn't talk about it. Cooper she got violently ill when she told me and Scott. I had to give her a shot of valium to calm her. That's why she couldn't tell you." Violet explained to Cooper.

"Well what about the kids in Maryland with her ex husband Scott told me about?" Cooper demanded Violet to tell him.

"I don't know! I told you all I know! After the way she reacted Scott and I didn't want to press her for more information!" Violet said starting to get a little upset at Cooper herself now.

"I told her she could talk to me when she was ready. She knows I'm a therapist!" Violet told Cooper.

Cooper felt like his head was going to explode. He wasn't sure if he should hate her for lying to him this whole time. She really was a different person like she kept telling him.

He could hear her voice ._I can't talk about it Coop. I don't want to go back there. I'm a different person now. I'm with you now. _She was living a new life in LA totally opposite from her old life as a wife and mother.

Violet could see Cooper was distressed." Cooper, everyone deals with stress and grief different. Charlotte chose to run away and avoid her pain. That's probably the worst thing she could have done because look how it is coming back to bite her now." Violet tried to explain it to Cooper.

"She's lucky she went to Alabama Violet because if she were here right now I don't know what I would do to her. The last time I was this mad at her I wanted to punch her but I restrained myself and took it out on a chair instead. I don't know if I could restrain myself like that again." Cooper said full of anger.

"COOPER!" Now Violet was annoyed at him. " Her daughter was killed. Don't you have any compassion for that? If you could see how sick she was about it I think you would feel different." Violet was surprised her friend could be so cold.

****************************************************************************PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK***************

How do you think Cooper will treat her when she gets back? He has two weeks to think it over before Charlotte gets back from Alabama.


	7. Chapter 7 The Exam

**Chapter 7- The Exam**

Charlotte King just came back from spending three weeks in Alabama. She was only going to stay for two weeks but she learned her grandmother,Sarah King, was ill and wanted to spend time with her. She was down because she knew she would not be seeing her grandmother when she went back again. Charlotte was also down because she started to have cramping. She was worried so she went straight to see Addison when she arrived back in LA that afternoon.

"Montgomery, do you have a minute?" Charlotte asked anxiously.

"Charlotte! I didn't know you were back. How was your trip?" Addison asked

"It was good, but I need to talk to you about something." Charlotte said nervously.

"What's going on Charlotte?' Addison was concerned.

"I know you're not my OB but your good and I need the best." Charlotte told her

"Why are you worried Charlotte?" Addison asked.

"Something is not right with this pregnancy. I've been pregnant before and this one feels different." Charlotte told her

"Charlotte every pregnancy is different." Addison tried to reassure her.

"I feel real crampy and bloated this time. I never felt like that with the others." Charlotte explained.

"Are you having any bleeding?" Addison asked

"No, but I'm having morning sickness, well all day sickness I should say. I'm nauseous all the time and I vomit if I eat anything besides dry toast or crackers." Charlotte said.

"You know morning sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. It means the hormones are doing what they're meant to." Addison told her.

"I know that. It's just this cramping bothers me." Charlotte was anxious.

"Do you want me to do an exam?" Addison asked.

"I 'd feel better if you did. "Charlotte told her

"Okay come in my office. I'll have to get a history before I can examine you." Addison replied.

Cooper saw Charlotte go in Addison's office and decided to check out what was going on.

"Charlotte, when did you get back? ' Cooper asked

"Just now, I came straight from the airport. ' Charlotte explained

"Why would you do that? Is something wrong with my, uh, our baby?" Cooper wanted to know.

"I don't know. I'm having cramps. So Addison is going to examine me." Charlotte said worried.

"Okay." Cooper was worried now too. He really wanted this baby. It was his only connection to Charlotte since they broke up. "Do you mind if I stay?" Cooper asked her.

"You're the daddy! Of course you can stay." Charlotte told him

Addison began asking questions for the history form. "How far pregnant did Dr. Roberts say you were when he examined you?"

"He went by my dates, I'm about ten weeks along" Charlotte told her.

"You said you have been pregnant before? " Addison enquired

"Yes" Charlotte answered.

"How many times have you been pregnant?" Addison asked.

"This is my fourth pregnancy." Charlotte told her, nervous about Cooper listening.

"Were they all full term?" Addison asked

"The first two were full term. The third one I delivered early at 33 weeks." Charlotte told her.

"Why was that?' Addison needed to know for the medical history.

"I was under a lot of stress and went into labor 7 weeks early." Charlotte told her. Charlotte was nervous that Cooper was listening, What must he be thinking? she wondered .She glanced over at him and was surprised he looked so calm. She thought he would be shocked to hear this.

.

"What happened with the baby? Did it survive? ' Addison asked

"Oh yes!" Charlotte answered. "She spent about a month in the NICU but she was discharged healthy".

"So no major problems from the early birth.?" Addison wanted to make sure she was getting this all down in the chart correctly.

"No, she was just small and needed to gain weight. We had to give her tube feedings for a while until she was strong enough to gain weight on her own. But that's it no other medical problems." Charlotte told her.

"That's good." Addison replied.

"What about the other two pregnancies? Were there any complications?" Addison asked/

"No." Charlotte said

Were they natural or c-section?" Addison enquired

"They were all natural. I was in labor about 12 hours with the first and 6 hours with the second and the third one came out quick. The labor was normal. Now can we be done with all these questions and just do the exam?" Charlotte was getting annoyed because Cooper could hear everything.

"I need to know how much the babies weighed at birth for my records . We are almost done." addison assured her.

"The first one was 6 pounds 2 ounces, the second one was 7 pounds even and the last one was only 3 pounds cuz she was early and I already explained that. Now are we done with these questions?" Charlotte snapped.

"How long ago was the last time you gave birth?" Addison asked.

"September 2004!" Charlotte told her. " Now are we done!?"

"Yes, go into exam room one and put on a gown. "I'll be right in." Addison told her.

Cooper followed Charlotte into the exam room but he didn't say anything. Charlotte couldn't imagine what he must be thinking. She changed into the gown and Addison came in to examine her.

Addison performed the exam . They listened to the heart beat with the doppler and Charlotte and Cooper were both relieved to hear that sound.

"So is everything good then?" Cooper asked Addison.

"Well yeah, but one thing is off. Charlotte are you sure you're only ten weeks pregnant because by my measurements I have you as being a little further along. Are you sure about those dates?' addison asked.

"Absolutely! Charlotte told her. I know exactly when I got pregnant. It was the day of Maya's wedding." .

"You're a hundred percent sure? " Addison asked

"I'm 200% sure." Charlotte told her.

"I'm going to need to do an ultrasound to see what's going on. Wait here and I'll go get my machine." Addison said as she left the room.

After Addison left Cooper questioned Charlotte. "Are you sure you weren't with any other guys after we broke up Charlotte?"

"Yes, Cooper you're the only one I slept with. I didn't sleep with Scott until I already knew I was pregnant." Charlotte told him.

"So why is Addison questioning the dates?" Cooper wanted to know.

"I guess my uterus is measuring bigger than it should be for these dates.' charlotte told him.

Addison rolled in the portable sonogram machine.

"I'm going to use an internal transducer because it is more accurate in the first trimester okay Charlotte." Addison explained.

"Fine." Charlotte snapped.

"I need you to scoot down to the end of the table and put your feet in the stirrups." Addison instructed.

Addison inserted the transducer and Cooper grabbed Charlotte's hand and held it.

They all looked toward the screen. "Oh my!" Addison said. "I see the problem, well not that it is really a problem." and she smiled at them.

"I can't see the screen good from here. What's going on? " Charlotte asked

Cooper stared at the screen. "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing Addison?"

**Review Please! What did Cooper and Addison see on the screen? Find out in chapter 8!**


	8. Chapter 8 The Talk

**Chapter 8- The Talk**

Charlotte was lying on the exam table while Cooper and Addison looked at the screen of the ultrasound machine. "Wow!" Cooper said to Addison. " I can't believe it."

"What?" Charlotte demanded. "Does it have two heads or somethin? What did you do to me Cooper? Get me pregnant with some kind of alien."

"There are definitely two heads Charlotte." Addison turned the screen towards Charlotte so she could see it better." Charlotte you're having twins." Addison told her.

Charlotte's mouth dropped open. She could see them on the screen now. They were so cute she thought already.

"They appear to be perfect for ten weeks gestation." Addison told them. "See their heartbeats."

"I suspect that the cramping feeling you have is the ligaments stretching at a faster rate to accommodate your growing uterus. The babies are fine." Addison explained.

**"You** look dehydrated though. I'll have a nurse draw some blood so we could check." Addison told her.

"I'll draw it" Cooper said. "Don't bother the nurses." Cooper remembered how tense Charlotte got when they drew each others blood for the HIV tests when they decided to become monogamous. He would be gentle with her.

"Fine with me.' Addison told him

"How much have you been vomiting?" Addison asked.

"I told you earlier all I could hold down is toast and crackers everything else makes me vomit." said Charlotte.

"For how long Charlotte?" Addison was a little concerned now.

"Ever since I went to Alabama." Charlotte said casually.

"So all you have eaten for the past three weeks is toast and crackers?" Addison asked.

"Oh, I forgot mama would make her homemade chicken soup and strain it for me every night for dinner. I only ate the broth because anything else would make me vomit. She also made me corn muffins to go along with the soup and I was able to hold one down each night. Mama made some orange tea that I would sip on during the day too." Charlotte told Addison.

"Sounds like you have a good mom ,Charlotte." Addison said.

"Yeah I do! Montgomery" Charlotte admitted.

"I think I may have to admit you to St Ambrose for a few days though so we could give you some IV fluid. The rest will help too." Addison told her.

"Montgomery , I have been resting at mama's house for the past three weeks.' Charlotte insisted.

"And look Charlotte, you're still dehydrated. Imagine what will happen if you go back to working two jobs." Addison tried to explain.

"Listen to Addison Charlotte." Cooper told her. "Do it for the twins."

"It'll just be for a few days. The worst of the morning sickness should be over soon. You're almost done with the first trimester. Most of my patients start to feel better once they're in the second trimester." Addison explained.

Charlotte agreed to be admitted at St. Ambrose. She was exhausted even though all she did was sleep most of the time at mama's house in Alabama.

Cooper drew her blood and told her he would go to Violet's and pick up some comfortable clothes and her tooth brush. "Do you need anything else Charlotte?"

"Not that I can think of now Coop." She wondered why he was being nice to her after finding out she already had children and never told him. By the way he reacted when she told him she was married already, she thought he would react much worse to this.

He must just be acting nice to her because she was having his twins, she thought to herself. That's okay, she would take it for any reason as long as she didn't have to deal with the nasty, cruel Cooper he had become over the past few months.

"Alright I'm leaving now Char. Cooper said I have a few more patients to see this afternoon and then I'll meet up with you in your hospital room. Addison is making the arrangements now." This was weird Charlotte thought. She would normally be the one Montgomery would call if she needed a hospital bed for a patient. Now she **was **the patient and she didn't like the feeling.

Charlotte was admitted to the prepartum unit at St. Ambrose. After they started her IV and she was settled in her room she decided to call Scott.

"Guess who this is Romeo?"

"Hey Princess Alabama. Are you back in LA yet?"

"Yup! I'm at St. Ambrose." Charlotte told him.

"You're kidding. They've got you back to work already'? Scott asked.

"No. I'm a patient this time. I got a little dehydrated and Montgomery admitted me for IV fluids. I'm on the prepartum unit. Room 216" Charlotte told him.

"I'll be right there. I'm on the opposite wing." He said.

Scott was in Charlotte's room in less than five minutes. "Are you okay Alabama?" He asked concerned.

Yeah just been barfin a little too much. Nothin some IV fluid can't cure. There's something else I need to tell ya." Charlotte said to Scott.

"I have something to tell you too. I didn't want to tell you on the phone when you were in Alabama. I didn't want to get you upset."

"What is it Scott?' Charlotte asked.

Scott popped some pills in his mouth then told Charlotte. "Cooper came to see me after you left for Alabama. He said he wanted to apologize for that fight we had. We had some more words and I accidently told him that you had kids that live in Maryland. I'm so sorry Princess. I wished I could have pulled the words back but it was too late. I think Cooper was shocked."

"It's okay Scott. I think you may have done me a favor by that.' Charlotte told him

"How so?" asked Scott

"Cooper came in Montgomery's office with me. Montgomery was asking me all these questions about past pregnancies for the medical history form. So I had to tell her and I was surprised Cooper wasn't freakin out. But I guess he already knew. So I owe you a big thank you Scott.' Charlotte said

Scott was relieved. He thought Charlotte was going to be upset that he told Cooper.

"What are those pills you were taking Scott?" Charlotte asked him.

"Oh there for my back. It's been giving me trouble lately." Scott told her.

"When I get outta here. I'll give you a backrub you'll never forget." Charlotte said playfully.

"I can't wait! I've got to get ready for a surgical patient that's coming to the ER but I'll be back when I can. "Scott kissed her goodbye and went on his way.

Oh no, she thought I forgot to tell him I was having twins. She wondered if he would be happy for her or not. It had to be hard on him that she was having Cooper's baby and now there were two of them. Charlotte was having a hard time thinking about herself being pregnant with twins. She wondered how much weight she would gain. How she would look waddling around during her third trimester. How would she take care of two infants and work two jobs? It was too much to think about now. She started thinking about the day she got pregnant after Maya's wedding. She remembered Cooper told her he loved her and missed her. She was so happy to be with him again and then Violet banged on the door and jolted them from their blissful moment. She remembered that they began fighting again. It was too much to think about and Charlotte drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later she was awoken by a kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes expecting to see her Romeo, but it was Cooper.

"Oh hi Coop." Charlotte was surprised to see him.

"How are you feeling charlotte?" Cooper asked with concern evident in his voice.

"Good! I was able to get some rest and I feel better with the IV fluid in me. I'm not as nauseous cuz I haven't eatin or drank anything. Don't have to with the IV." She told him.

"Glad to hear it. Here's your sweatsuit your favorite one I bought you last Christmas. I picked up a new toothbrush for you. Violet will stop by later with some more stuff." Cooper said.

"Thanks Coop. Not just for the sweat suit and toothbrush but for being nice to me." Charlotte meant it.

"Charlotte you shouldn't have to thank me for being nice. I'm sorry that you feel you need to. I've been thinking a lot while you were away and I know I've been an unbelievable creep. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you." Cooper said sincerley.

"I probably deserved it for lying about my marriage and the other stuff.' Charlotte told him.

"No you didn't deserve it. I wish you felt comfortable to tell me that stuff but I know I didn't make it easy for you with the way I was acting." Cooper said.

"I know you had a little girl who died . Violet told me about it. But that is all she knew." Cooper told her.

Cooper held Charlotte's hand. "I know you left the other two children behind. Charlotte can you promise me you wont do that with our twins? Promise you wont walk out on them because they're going to need their mother.' Cooper pleaded with her.

'I would never do that Coop. I'm a different person now!" Charlotte insisted.

"How Charlotte? You always say that but how are you so different? " Cooper asked in a soft and gentle tone of voice

"Because after Chelsea died. I felt incredibly guilty. I was late to pick her up at the bus stop. If I was there on time it would never have happened. Ethan blamed me too. After the funeral he told me it was my fault. He said I was a bad mother. He said I put my job ahead of the children and that's why I was late to the bus stop . That's why Chelsea died." Charlotte finally told Cooper.

"After Ethan said that I left him. **It was stupid, it was thoughtless, it was mean.** I felt like he hated me. He tried apologizing a few days later but **I wansn't willing to forgive** him for saying those things. I was a mess. I missed Chelsea so bad. My whole life was shattering around me. That's when I had the baby seven weeks early. I went into labor because of all the stress. I named her Nevaeh because it spells heaven backwards and Chelsea was in heaven now. Ethan was fighting me for custody of Nevaeh and our 3 year old son Nicholas. I was a mess. I saw this shrink who prescribed sedatives for me. I liked the way they relaxed me and helped me not think about anything. I was a doctor and had a lot of friends who were doctors. I asked a few of them to each prescribe me a different sedative. No one knew I asked the other. They all obliged and each gave me a prescription because they knew the hell I was going through. Soon enough I was addicted and my friends began to notice and stopped giving me the prescriptions. I had to get it illegally. Ethan used it against me to get custody of the kids. Now I was a bigger mess because I lost all my kids. I overdosed on the sedatives one night. If my friend Nicole hadn't stopped by to check on me, I would be dead. The doctor's asked me if I overdosed on purpose. I don't think I thought about it too much. I was a doctor I knew I was taking way too much but I didn't care . I had nothing left to live for. My parents had me admitted to the best rehab they could find by their house in Alabama. I had great doctors and they helped me to get over my addiction. We all decided that the best thing for me to do was move away until I got stronger and was able to deal with my grief for Chelsea. I was supposed to come to LA and make myself a stronger person. The plan was when I was strong enough to deal with it, I would try to get partial custody of Nicholas and Nevaeh. It has been over 5 years Cooper and I have made myself stronger but not strong enough to face my ex and not strong enough to tell anyone about Chelsea". Charlotte felt relieved to finally get it all out. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders like Scott told her.

"You just did Charlotte. You told me and you didn't get sick or need valium." Cooper said.

"Oh, you heard about that.?" Charlotte asked,

"It's okay Charlotte. I want to help you. If you want to see your children again, I want to help you. You don't have to do it alone. I'll be by your side through it all. You can lean on me when you're not feeling strong enough." Cooper reassurred her.

"Thank you Cooper." Charlotte said with tears in her eyes.

"Charlotte I love you. I know I've been horrible the past few months but that was because I do love you so much. I misunderstood everything. I thought you didn't want to tell me about your marriage because I thought you were still in love with your ex. I thought you regretted leaving him. I felt like I was second choice, and that you were settling for me because you couldn't be with your **true love**. And that made me **crazy mad** because **you** are **my **one and only **true love." **Cooper leaned in and kissed Charlotte and Charlotte responded by kissing him back. It was a long and passionate kiss.

Addison walked in the room. "I'm here to check on my patient and it's a good thing I did because you are supposed to be getting rest, not making out."

"Montgomery did anyone ever tell you that you have the worst timing?"

"Actually, Charlotte I get told that a lot." Addison laughed.

Scott came into the room with a bouquet of red roses he handed them to Charlotte. "Hey Princess Alabama, I thought you could use some cheering up."

Maybe Addison did have good timing after all Charlotte thought. She couldn't imagine what would've happened if Scott walked in a few moments earlier and saw her kissing Cooper.

.

Addison looked at Charlotte and then Cooper and then Scott. Oh my my my she said to herself.

Cooper opened his mouth to say something to Scott

**Please review- I like your reviews for inspiration. What do you think Cooper will say to Scott?**


	9. Chapter 9 The Domino Effect

_I appreciate the reviews. I accept constructive criticism too. Let me know both what you like and do not like. Thanks_

.

**Chapter 9- Domino Effect**

Scott had just walked in Charlotte's hospital room and handed her a bouquet of roses."I thought you might need some cheering up Princess Alabama" Scott said as he handed her the flowers.

Cooper couldn't wait to say something. " Hey Scott, Did you hear the good news?" Charlotte and I are expecting twins."

Scott looked at Charlotte. " Congratulations" was all he said. The disappointment was obvious on his face.

"Scott I meant to tell you when you stopped by earlier but we got sidetracked' Charlotte tried to explain.

"Don't worry about it. I have a meeting I have to be at now. Maybe I'll stop by and see you before I go home tonight Charlotte. " Scott said.

Charlotte knew Scott was upset because he called her 'Charlotte' and not princess or Alabama or both, like he usually called her. She felt bad she liked her nicknames.

"Why'd you go an do that Cooper" Charlotte growled at him.

"I thought he should know , besides I'm a proud papa to be. I want to tell everyone we're having twins." Cooper answered happily.

"You did it on purpose Cooper admit it. You knew it would upset him" Charlotte said accusingly.

"Charlotte you need to relax, I admitted you here so you can rest and get some IV hydration." Addison chimed in. "And Cooper if I see that you are upsetting Charlotte I may ban her from having any visitor's. Charlotte's is considered to be a high risk pregnancy and I want it to run as smooth as possible. So that means limiting the stress level." Addison lectured.

"Why is she considered high risk just because she's having twins?" Cooper worried

"The fact that she is having twins along with other risk factors such as already giving birth prematurely in the past and her age." Addison replied

"What do you mean about my age ?" Charlotte asked

"We consider anyone over 35 high risk." Addison told her.

"I just turned 34. I don't know how old **you** think I am Montgomery" Charlotte snipped insulted. "You better go back and check it in my chart."

"Well 34 is close enough. They had to pick a number so they picked 35 but you're close to it so I consider you high risk. In other words, you're not in your twenties anymore Charlotte." Addison explained.

"Well you should talk!" Charlotte snapped at her. "You're past 40 if you wait much longer your eggs are gonna be all dried up."

Cooper could see the hurt on Addison's face.

"Charlotte watch what you're saying. That's hurtful" Cooper told her.

"No it's okay" Addison said "Charlotte is right. I have to go and finish rounds now but I mean it Charlotte "relax or I'll have your visiting hours limited." Addison scolded her as she left.

"Charlotte you shouldn't have said that. Violet told me once that Addison had some kind of fertility problem, something about her eggs being dried up maybe premature menopause or something like it." Cooper told Charlotte.

"I had no idea, Cooper. I wouldn't have said it if I'd I known that." Charlotte regretted hurting Addison. " I didn't know Cooper."

"Okay, Okay Just apologize to her when she comes in tomorrow morning." Cooper told her. "I told Sam and Pete I would meet them at the bar tonight. Do you mind if I go?" Cooper asked Charlotte.

"No. Why should I care what you do anymore?" Charlotte asked ,annoyed that Cooper was going to a bar.

"Because you love me and I love you, remember?" Cooper said as he started to kiss her on the lips. Charlotte tried to resist at first but then gave in and kissed Cooper back. When they finally stopped kissing goodbye, Cooper gave Charlotte a cute little smile and told her he would be back in the morning. Charlotte decided to take Addison's advice and fell asleep.

**AT THE BAR**

Cooper met up with Pete and Sam at the pub. Pete offered to buy the first round.

"Hey Cooper, I saw Scott at the hospital earlier today and as I was discussing a patient with him he was popping more pain pills." Pete said " I asked him if his back was still bothering him from the fight and he said it was for a knee injury."

"So what are you saying Pete? Do you think Scott is abusing pain medicine?" Cooper asked.

"I don't know . I don't know him that well, but it's odd that every time I run into him he's taking those pills." Pete stated.

"I've seen him take them too" Cooper told Pete.

"Maybe you should mention it to Charlotte, she's the chief of staff." Pete told Cooper.

"I'll wait a while, Addison doesn't want Charlotte under any stress right now at least until she's discharged" Cooper said.

"Let's just hope Scott doesn't make any mistakes at the hospital while he's under the influence of the meds ". Pete said concerned. "Can't we tell Dr. Taylor whose covering for Charlotte while she's out?" Pete asked.

"No" Sam added . "You can't do that! First of all, he may have a legitimate prescription for that medicine. Second, if you tell Dr. Taylor he is going to have to check with Charlotte before he could take any type of action against Scott anyway" " Sounds to me like you two are on a witch hunt because you don't like the guy." Sam told them.

"Okay, we'll drop it for now." Cooper said

**Next Morning:**

Charlotte awoke early and was waiting for Addison to come see her. Charlotte felt bad about yesterday and wanted to apologize.

"Good Morning Charlotte" Naomi said as she walked in the room. "Addison asked me to cover for her this morning ."

"That's fine." Charlotte told her. Charlotte never cared for Naomi much after she took Charlottes' job at Pacific Wellcare,

Naomi finished looking over Charlotte's chart and did a quick exam to check Charlotte's hydration status. "You've improved since yesterday but we'll need to keep you in the hospital a few more days." Naomi explained. We'll start you slowly on liquids and then advance you to solid food, after you show us you could tolerate food we'll remove the IV and discharge you."

"Okay, I'll try my best to keep it down" Charlotte answered.

"Charlotte, I heard about what happened with your daughter and I wanted to tell you I'm very sorry. It made me think about Maya. " When Maya told us she was pregnant, I thought it was my worst nightmare. But hearing about what happened with your little girl, that is a parent's worst nightmare. It made me think and I went to see Maya and apologize last night. I wanted you to know because your situation touched my life and now I can be a mother to Maya again. She's fifteen and pregnant and needs me. So you and your daughter helped Maya and I. I wanted you to know that. "Naomi told her as she started to leave.

"That's funny." Charlotte said. "I don't mean ha, ha funny but stange funny because I got pregnant with the twins on Maya's wedding day. I had a little too much to drink at the reception and I ended up leaving with Cooper and now here I am pregnant with twins. So my little girl impacted your life, and your little girl impacted mine"

"I'll keep you in my prayers, Charlotte" Naomi said as she left. Charlotte felt good. It was finally starting to feel like home for her here in LA.

Scott came to see Charlotte before he started his morning rounds. "Good morning Alabama. How are you feeling today?"

Charlotte was happy to see Scott was in a good mood. "Good morning Romeo, I thought you might be upset with me since you didn't come back last night."

"I could never be upset with my princess". He handed her a gift bag. "Here open it."

Charlotte opened the bag and inside was a little box. She pulled open the box and found a bracelet with "Princess Alabama" engraved on it. It had little diamond studs on the gold band. " Scott thank you ,I love it" she said as she put the bracelet on.

Scott leaned in close and kissed her on the lips. Charlotte kissed him back until they were interrupted by Violet coming in the room.

"Gee this place is like Grand Central Station today" Charlotte said

"I'v e got rounds to tend to anyway." Scott said as he popped some pills in his mouth.

"What are those for Scott?" Charlotte asked. "My back Princess" remember I told you and you're supposed to give me a nice back rub when you get sprung from this place." Scott said.

"Oh yeah" Charlotte remembered.

"Well these pills will have to do the trick until then." Scott said as he left.

"Look what Scott gave me Violet" Charlotte beamed happily as she showed Violet her new bracelet.

"'Cooper told me you guys were back on as a couple." Violet said to Charlotte.

"Yeah I think we are too" Charlotte said.

"Well then why were you kissing Scott and why did he give you this bracelet?''

"Well I'm with him too." Charlotte said

"Do the guys know this Charlotte? That you want to see both of them?" Violet asked

"Not yet" Charlotte told her. "I'll tell them though'

"When?" asked Violet.

"When the time is right" Charlotte responded.

REVIEW : How do you think the guys will react to the news that Charlotte wants to date both of them? Who do you want Charlotte to end up with Cooper or Scott?.


	10. Chapter 10 Charlotte's Webb

**Chapter 10 - Charlotte's Web**

Today was Charlotte Kings first day back at work after being out for about six weeks. She spent the first three weeks visiting her family in Alabama. The fourth week she spent as a patient at St. Ambrose with hyperemesis (excessive vomiting). The next two weeks she spent home on bed rest as ordered by her doctor Addison Montgomery. But now Charlotte was finally back at work. She was about 14 weeks pregnant and feeling much better. If you saw her you wouldn't be able to tell she was pregnant. She was thin to start out and lost quite a bit of weight with all the vomiting last month. She had a small baby bump you couldn't see unless she wore something form fitting.

"Hey Alabama! How's your first day back going for you?" Scott asked as he entered Charlottes' office at St. Ambrose.

"Ugh!" Charlotte replied. I have tons of paperwork to fill out, and meetings scheduled all day. My phone doesn't stop ringing. I'm not going to be able to go back to work at OWG until next week, so I could catch up with things here" she said frustrated.

"Maybe I'll come over tonight and give you a relaxing massage. Would you like that?" Scott asked.

"Sounds nice but I doubt I'll be home before 10 with everything I have to catch up on. Besides don't I owe you that backrub?" Charlotte reminded him.

"That's okay, it sounds like you need it more than me." Scott told her.

"How's your father doing?" Charlotte asked. She remembered he had gone to Canada to see his father who had heart surgery two weeks ago, She spoke to him on the phone almost every day he was there while she was home on bed rest.

"He's doing much better. Thank you" Scott replied.

Charlotte didn't have to deal with telling Scott and Cooper she wanted to see both of them since Scott was away anyhow.

"I've got to get back to my patients. Scott told her as he popped two pills in his mouth"

"Why are you still taking that stuff?" Charlotte asked.

"Back pain." Scott said as left her office. He passed Violet who also was coming to check in on Charlotte's first day back to work.

Violet slumped down in a chair. "So when are you going to tell them that you want to date both of them?" Violet asked.

"When the time is right and it is certainly not going to be today." Charlotte told her.

"You better be careful Charlotte. 'It's a tangled web we do weave when we practice to deceive'." Violet advised her.

"Gee, thanks Violet for implying I'm trying to deceive them!" Charlotte scoffed at her.

"The longer you wait to tell them that you want to date them both the worse it will be. You just got lucky that Scott has been out of town for the past two weeks but Cooper has been coming over almost every day for dinner." Violet said to her.

"Can you just drop it?" Charlotte asked getting frustrated

"I'm just watching you spin your web Charlotte." Violet told her.

Addison poked her head in to check on Charlotte. "Remember to try and use your stress management skills Charlotte, the minute your blood pressure rises I'm putting you out of work on disability" Addison warned her.

"My blood pressure is fine Montgomery!" Charlotte called out to her.

"Okay, but I'm keeping my eye on you. I've got to keep up my tract record for delivering the most high risk pregnancies successfully. I'm not going to let you spoil it for me. Addison teased Charlotte smiling as she said it.

Violet rolled her eyes as Addison left them to do her morning rounds.

"What's that face for?" Charlotte was curious.

"She's seeing Pete" Violet said. "They're trying to be discreet but I know they're seeing each other."

"So why should that bother you? I thought you were over Pete?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't know. I just have a feeling that since Addison can't have kids of her own she is going to try and be a mother to Lucas and that makes me crazy." " She probably figures Lucas can't have a mother and she can't have a kid so they'd be perfect for each other." Violet told her.

"So you're telling me that Montgomery is using Pete so she could have Lucas?" Charlotte asked in a tone of voice to make Violet see how ridiculous it sounded.

"Yeah. I don't see why that is so hard to believe. Addison wants a baby." Violet responded.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Montgomery hasn't had a relationship that's lasted more than a couple months anyway. Let them have their little fling. Charlotte tried to reassure Violet.

"I think she will try to make it work with Pete just so she could have Lucas". Violet worried out loud to Charlotte.

"Well do you want to be a mother to Lucas, Violet?" Charlotte asked.

"I do but I don't know when I'll be ready to take that step" Violet confided to Charlotte.

"Let's try this. I'll ask Pete to drop Lucas off at the house for a couple hours this Saturday. I'll be there to take care of him. It'll be good practice for me anyway. I haven't taken care of a baby in years. I could use some refreshin at it. You could decide if and how much you want to participate with him. If you wanna run out the door when he gets there that's fine too. Baby steps Vi we'll take baby steps. Okay? Charlotte asked.

"I'd like that" Violet said. I better go to work now. Sam and Cooper are probably looking for me.

**LATER THAT DAY**

Charlotte was still in her office doing paper work when Cooper and Pete knocked.

"Mind if we talk to you?" Cooper asked.

"No come on in. What could I do for you boys?" Charlotte asked.

"We want to talk to you about Scott." Pete told her. "We suspect he may be abusing pills. Almost every time we see him he is popping them into his mouth. And if we notice it you can bet others do to." Pete continued. "We want you to be aware of this as chief of staff If he makes an error and it turns out he was under the influence, St. Ambrose will be liable."

" I'll talk to him about it" Charlotte said.

"You will?" Cooper asked surprised.

"Why does that surprise you Cooper? I'm chief of staff. If someone makes a complaint against one of my staff members I have to follow up on it, no matter who it is." Charlotte lectured him.

"That went easier than I expected" Cooper said

"Pete, would it be okay if you left Lucas with me for a couple hours on Saturday?" Charlotte asked.

"Why?" Cooper wanted to know.

"For one I'm a little rusty when it comes to babies and diapers and all that. It's been over five years, I could use a refresher. I also am trying to help Violet with Lucas. I already spoke with her about it and she agreed. I'll be responsible for Lucas and she can jump in and help me or just play with him or not." Charlotte explained.

"Wow this is perfect on so many levels." Pete said.

"Why?" asked Charlotte.

"First, I'm glad Violet is starting to show some interest in Lucas, second I need a babysitter Saturday night because I wanted to take my date somewhere special and spend the night and third it will be good practice for you. So we all win. Pete said. "Oh and Charlotte would you mind keeping him overnight? I'll bring his playpen and all the stuff you'll need along.

"That'd be fine Pete. Cooper told him. I'll stay at Violet's Saturday too and help Charlotte. I could use the daddy practice. This is going to be fun." Cooper said excited.

**Later that night at Violet's house**

"Charlotte, Scott is here to see you" Violet called up the stairs.

"Send him on up" Charlotte yelled down the stairs to Violet.

Scott went upstairs and met Charlotte in her room. Charlotte was getting ready for bed in a pretty purple nightgown. "So are you ready for that back massage now?' Scott asked her.

"Yes" Charlotte answered. "But I feel guilty. You deserve it first since you have back pain.'

"No don't worry about me. Let me take care of you tonight." Scott said as he started to massage Charlotte's shoulders with his strong surgical fingers.

"Mmmm you have great hands" Charlotte moaned as she laid on the bed and let him massage her back and arms and legs. I really needed this after the day I had at work" Charlotte told him. "Are you sure I can't return the favor?"

"Oh you can." Scott told her "but not with a massage." He gently turned her over so she was facing him. She was all slippery from the massage oil he used. He laid himself on top of her and looked her in the eyes." I love you princess Alabama" he said before he kissed her on the lips and massaged her body with his hands. Charlotte just melted underneath him. The next morning she woke up lying next to him. She marveled at what a fine looking man he was. She liked him a lot and she might even be in love with him but it was so confusing because she also loved Cooper. But she couldn't think about that now. Now she had to think about how she was going to approach him about this pill problem that Cooper and Pete brought to her attention. The pill problem that she already suspected before Pete and Cooper ever said anything to her.

"Good morning Princess Alabama." Scott said as he woke up and gave her a sweet peck on the lips. "So how was your night?"

"My night was amazing! Charlotte responded." How was your night?"

"My night was spectacular. I wish it never had to end" Scott answered smiling at her. "But unfortunately we both have to be back at the hospital early" Scott said as he got up and started to get dressed . "I've got to go home and get ready for work. I really should leave some spare clothes here."

"Wait Scott!" I need to talk to ya about something important." Charlotte told him.

"Is this going to be about Cooper?" Scott asked.

"No this has got nothing to do with Cooper. It's about work. I need to talk to you as the Chief of Staff right now." Charlotte hated having to do this to him.

"What do you need to talk about?" Scott asked her.

**Review! How do you think Scott will react to Charlotte questioning his pain pill abuse? How will she discipline him?**


	11. Chapter 11 A Tale of Two Men

**Please review**

**Chapter 11 A Tale of Two Men**

**It was morning** at Violets house . Scott spent the night there with Charlotte. Charlotte needed to discuss the situation with the pain pills with Scott and she was dreading it.

"What do you need to talk about, Alabama?" Scott was curious.

"I want you to tell me why you're really takin' those pills cuz after all those fancy moves you made last night, I know you don't have a back problem"

"It's not a problem, Charlotte, I could stop taking them whenever I want" Scott told her.

"I don't believe you. Two doctors came to my office yesterday to report that they thought you were abusing pills and I've seen ya takin' em myself.. Ya wanna tell me why?" Charlotte asked using her authoritative voice.

"I just take them when I'm feeling a little stressed that's all"

"Well you can't do that Scott. Not at work. If you make a mistake or screw up on a patient St. Ambrose is liable and me too since I'm now aware of it'.

"So are you firing me Charlotte?"

"No, I'm gonna help ya . Here's the name and number of the doctor I used in Alabama when I was addicted to the sedatives. He's fantastic. You can stay at my mama's house while you're in Albama and I'll hold your job for ya until you get back."

"I don't even know your mother Charlotte" Scott told her.

"Mama doesn't bite. She's got a huge house with horse stables and a little farm out back. I think you'll enjoy it there. Mama had a pill problem a few years back too. This Dr. Rosetti whose number I gave ya treated her too. So you don't need to feel no shame around mama she'll understand why you're there and wanna help ."

"What about my job at St. Ambrose?"

"Your job will be waitin for ya when ya get back, part of the perks of datin' the Chief of Staff" Charlotte joked with him.

"I love you princess Alabama,"

"So does that mean you'll go and get help?"

"It doesn't seem like I have much of a choice." he told her.

"No you don't, but I'll be waitin for you to get back" Charlotte said as she walked over to Scott and gave him a big kiss.

**1 pm Purple Pony Restaurant**

The hostess showed Charlotte to the table where Cooper was sitting waiting for her.

"Why did you want to meet here Coop? It's all the way across town from the hospital? Charlotte asked .

"This is where we used to meet when we were first dating. I want to start fresh. I want to date you again ,Charlotte . I want to do it right this time. Will you give me another chance at it?" he asked with his sad doe eyes.

" I guess we could try." Charlotte couldn't resist that puppy dog face he gave her when he wanted something and she didn't have to make a decision about whether to be with Scott or Cooper just yet since Scott was on his way to Alabama. Charlottes' cell phone beeped . She just got a text:.

_Hey princess Alabama I'm at the airport I got a standby ticket and my flight leaves soon._

_I should be in Alabama before dinner._ _I_' _m a bit nervous to meet your mother. _

Charlotte texted back-. _Mama is looking forward to meeting you. If she fixes you a homemade meal it means she loves ya. If she feeds ya takeout you got a problem_

Scott texted back-. _Thanks fo r the heads up! I'll let you know later, bye love Romeo_

_Bye Love Alabama_ - Charlotte texted back.

Charlotte wanted to text mama to tell her to cook up something good for Scott but mama didn't know how to text. So Charlotte had to call her.

Who are you calling Charlotte? Cooper asked

_Ring ring- Hello _answered mama King.

_Mama it's Charlotte. Can you make your chicken cornbread casserole for dinner tonight for your guest._

_Sure thing darlin' ! How are ya feelin?_ Asked mama

_Much better. I gotta go mama I'm on my lunch break._ Charlotte told her mother and hung up quick so Cooper wouldn't catch on that Scott was going to Alabama to stay with her mother.

"So you and your mother have gotten close recently? When I was in Alabama with you when your dad died she barely left her room you said she was a drug addict".

"She was Coop but she cleaned herself up after big daddy died." Charlotte explained

"I'd like to meet your mom again. It's been a while and she's the twins grandmother"

"Oh that reminds me". Cooper said." I told my parents we were having twins and they are on cloud nine right now. They thought I was never going to give them grandchildren."

I think they may want to move to LA once the twins are born"

"That might not be such a bad idea" Charlotte told Cooper.

"Why would you want my parents in LA? Relatives are best when they're in another city."

"No really Coop I was thinking they could babysit, I'd rather them be home with your parents watching them than leave them at daycare all day."

"Aren't you going to take some time off after you have the twins?" Cooper asked concerned.

"I'll figured I'd take the first twelve weeks off after they're born and then go back to both jobs then.

"You're still planning on working two jobs when the twins are born. Charlotte that's crazy!" Cooper told her

"I need to still be me Cooper. Remember we didn't plan the twins they just happened and I need to keep my jobs for me, they make me feel good about myself. I like being the boss at St. Ambrose, I know sometimes I complain how crazy busy it could be but at the end of the day I love it and I need the patient contact I get at OWG"

"Okay, okay , I'll talk to my parents and see if they'd be willing to move here and help out."

"Thank you Cooper". Charlotte gave him a smirky smile because she was getting her way." So where are you going to take me out tonight on our first date?" Charlotte hinted

"Oh tonight?" Cooper asked " I was going to go to the bar with Pete and Sam tonight". he told Charlotte.

"Ahem, I thought you wanted to do it right this time Cooper?"

"I do" he answered Charlotte

"Then you'll pick me up at five pm" she told him

"Okay" Cooper said like a child who was just reprimanded.

Cooper arrived at Violets house promptly at five to see Charlotte. When Charlotte opened the door he surprised her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Charlotte thanked him and put the flowers in a vase with water. She picked up a big picnic basket and said "Come on let's go"

"Where are we going Charlotte?"

"You'll see when we get there Charlotte told him"

They ended up at the beach. It was a beautiful evening. Charlotte set a blanket out on the sand and they ate the lobster dinner she had prepared, while watching the sunset. Charlotte packed chocholate covered strawberries for desert and they had fun feeding them to each other playfully stealing kisses with each strawberry they shared. After desert they decided to take a walk along the water.

There was a cool breeze and Charlotte grabbed Cooper's hand as they walked.

"This is the perfect evening Charlotte, I'm glad you thought of it."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be out drinking with Sam and Pete? she asked

"Hmmm, now let me think about that " Cooper teased.

"With all her strength Charlotte pushed Cooper and since he was taken by total surprise he stumbled and fell into the ankle deep water they were walking near.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Coop" Charlotte said and started laughing at him laying all wet in the shallow water as the waves came crashing to shore.

"Stop laughing at me and just help me up." Coop said as he held his hand out for her.

Charlotte grabbed his hand to try and pull him up but instead he pulled her down falling on top of him. Now it was Cooper's turn to laugh.

"You're in big trouble now." she told him.

"Oh yeah, I can't wait to see what my punishment is going to be" Cooper said with a big grin.

"I'm gonna show you right now". Charlotte teased and she unbuckled his belt as the waves came crashing over them.

"I can't wait"! Cooper moaned back. Cooper then began kissing Charlotte as passionately as he remembered how. It had been a while. The last time he was with her was the day he got her pregnant over four months ago. This was going to be a new start for them he thought to himself as they continued to kiss.

**Please review, I appreciate it.**


	12. Chapter 12 Playing House

**Chapter 12***************** Playing house************************

**Saturday Evening:**

Saturday evening had finally come. Charlotte was waiting for Pete to arrive with baby Lucas. Coop was already there. Violet was anxiously waiting in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

Charlotte answered it. Pete and Addison were standing at the door all dressed up in formalwear.

"Don't you two look nice ! Where are you headed to tonight? Charlotte asked

"I don't know Pete is surprising me." Addison answered.

"That's right" Pete answered handing Lucas over to Charlotte.

Cooper came over and grabbed the diaper bags from Pete. "Gee. What is the kid staying a week with all this stuff?" Cooper asked.

"Oh you'll thank me later for all this stuff, believe me you'll need it." Pete answered.

Violet was peeking out from the kitchen just taking it all in.

"I left a list of instructions for you Charlotte and you have both my and Addison's cell numbers if you need to get in touch with me" Pete instructed.

"Don't worry about. You two just go and have a good time." Lucas will be fine.

Addison was talking to Lucas in a high pitched voice like adults usually do when they talk to babies. _Who's a good baby? Who's a good baby? You are, you are, that's who!_ Addison googled at him. At that moment ,Violet came out of the kitchen. "Don't you think you two should be running along now? She interrupted Addison's googling with Lucas. Addison and Pete said their goodbyes and left.

Charlotte sat on the couch with Lucas on her lap while Cooper rummaged through the diaper bags. "You should see all the clothes and pajamas Pete packed, I swear he plans on dumping his kid on us for a week." Cooper bellowed.

"Don't be ridiculous Coop. Babies go through clothes like water, they pee, poop and spit up all over themselves all day so ya need a bunch of clothes" Charlotte instructed him.

Cooper had a disgusted look on his face and rummaged through the next diaper bag which contained food. He opened a Tupperware container and smelled it. Mmmm smells like bananas he said as he stuck his finger in the container and tasted. "Yes they're banana's and they're good."

"Cooper that's gross you just stuck your finger in the baby's food. Now I can't feed him that container of bananas' tonight." Charlotte complained.

"Can't let it go to waste then" Cooper stuck his finger in again as if it was a spoon and started feeding himself the banana's.

"Cooper at least go in the kitchen and get yourself a spoon." Charlotte yelled at him.

Cooper headed into the kitchen with the banana's.

"Looks like I'm going to have three babies soon. The twins and Cooper" Charlotte said to Violet who was laughing.

"So did you make a decision yet about Cooper and Scott?" Violet asked Charlotte.

"Not yet" Charlotte said. "I've been saved by the bell." Scott had to go out of town for a while. I'm not sure for how long. Cooper wants to date me and start over. So we'll see if it works out." Charlotte told Violet.

"But Scott doesn't know?" Violet asked.

"No. He doesn't need anymore stress right now. I don't think it is a good time to tell him"

[Violet is not aware of the pill problem and Charlotte didn't feel the need to tell her].

"So it looks like Pete makes homemade baby food" Violet said as she rummaged through the diaper bag containing the food.

"Doesn't surprise me. He's one of those holistic medicine quacks" Charlotte answered.

Cooper came out and took Lucas out of Charlotte's arms and put him on the floor right in front of Violet . Coop started playing peek a boo with him and baby Lucas laughed hard at Cooper. Charlotte smiled. Cooper was going to be a great dad. She looked over at Violet who had a big smile on her face as she watched Lucas laughing. Baby steps, Charlotte thought ,baby steps. For the rest of the night Charlotte and Cooper took turns playing house. Feeding, changing and playing with Lucas while Violet watched them. Violet never asked to hold him and they didn't want to push her.

"I just put Lucas down to sleep for the night." Charlotte told Cooper and Violet. "I'm pretty tired myself so I'm gonna turn in.

"Wait for me". Cooper said. "I'll give you a shoulder massage to help relax you."

"Yeah right" Charlotte said. "You always start with a massage and we know where it ends up."

"No Charlotte just a massage I promise." Cooper told her.

Violet was alone now so she put a movie on. About half an hour later she heard Lucas fussing. Charlotte and Cooper weren't getting up to tend to him so Violet went to knock on Charlotte's bedroom door. Before she knocked she could hear noises coming from the room and decided not to bother them." I can't believe those two Violet said to herself they're already having twins and still going at it like teenagers." Violet had no choice but to check on Lucas herself. It turned out he just dropped his binky. Violet put it back in the babies mouth and watched him as he fell back to sleep. She stood by his crib for nearly half hour just watching him.

**ONE MONTH LATER**

One month later Charlotte was about 20 weeks or 5 months pregnant and today was her sonogram. Violet was making baby steps with Lucas. Pete would drop him off every Saturday with Charlotte and Cooper . They enjoyed playing house with Lucas getting in the practice for their own babies. They also could see it was helping Violet. Although Violet hasn't held her son yet, she would touch him gently as Charlotte held him and she would hand Charlotte the diaper cream etc and stand over while Charlotte changed Lucas's diaper. Charlotte once told Cooper Violet was like a mommy's little helper to her and Cooper laughed.

Charlotte walked into Dr Addison Montgomery's office early this am for her sonogram.

Cooper met her there. Addison prepared Charlotte with the sonogram gel and began.

"So here we see the head and here is the heart". Addison went through each body part of both babies with Cooper and Charlotte and declared both babies were perfectly healthy.

"So do you want to know the babies sex?" Addison asked.

"YES!" They both answered at once. "Charlotte wants a girl real bad" Cooper told Addison. "Well Cooper wants a boy real bad." Charlotte told Addison.

"It looks like you both win." Addison told them. Baby "A" is a girl and baby "B" is a boy!

Cooper and Charlotte couldn't contain their excitement. Cooper was practically jumping up and down. Charlotte was laughing at him. "Cooper I swear I don't know why I need to have two more babies I've already got you. The biggest baby in LA" and they all laughed. After Charlotte and Cooper left to spread the news to their families and friends. Addison felt bad. When was it ever going to be her turn to be happy? She wondered to herself.

Later that evening Cooper made Charlotte and Violet a big dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. It was good but Charlotte couldn't eat too much the babies were starting to press on her stomach and make her feel uncomfortable after she ate. Violet enjoyed it pigging out on the dinner Cooper cooked. "So have you decided on any names yet?"

Violet asked.

"Walter and Marjorie" Cooper told her.

.

"Those are nice names" Violet commented.

"No wait Coop. We talked about those names when we thought I was pregnant last year.

I've changed my mind about the girls' name." Charlotte told him.

"I thought you wanted to name a girl after your horse." Cooper reminded her.

Violet laughed so hard she spit some spaghetti on the table.

"Gross Turner, Are you tryin' to make me vomit? Use a napkin!" Charlotte scolded Violet.

"Don't you like the name Marjorie anymore Char?" Coop asked.

"It's not that Coop. My grandmother is at deaths door so I thought it might be nice to name the little girl after her."

"Oh that's nice" said Violet "What's your grandmother's name?"

"Sarah King" answered Charlotte

"Okay there we have it Sarah King Freedman" will be the girl's name. I like it " Cooper said.

"And so the boy will be Walter? asked Violet

"I was thinking I like Michael as a name Cooper what do you think? Charlotte asked . Big daddy's name was Michael.

Cooper thought about it. "Did I ever tell you that my middle name is Michael" Cooper told them. I never use it but it is my name Cooper Michael"

"Why don't you make the baby a junior Cooper Michael Jr. and then you could just call him Michael. So it is still like you are naming him after your father Charlotte and naming him after Cooper at the same time." Violet suggested

"I guess that'd be okay" Charlotte thought out loud.

"So let's do it! "Cooper said "Ladies and gentleman we have our names Sarah king Freedman and Cooper Michael Freedman Jr." Cooper couldn't contain his excitement.

"Wow "Charlotte said

"What's wrong? asked Cooper

"The babies are kicking up a storm right now! They must have liked that spaghetti dinner because they are really kicking good and strong."

Cooper and Violet both put their hands on Charlotte's belly and felt the babies kicks.

"Wow this is so wild Charlotte only a few more months to go. We got to find a place to live. My apartment is too small and you can't live with Violet when the twins are born. We'll start house hunting tomorrow."

Charlotte and Violet just looked at each other. "So when's Scott coming back to town Charlotte ? Violet asked.

Pretty soon, I believe pretty soon. She knew exactly what Violet was thinking "What a tangled we weave when we practice to deceive!".

**Please review if you are reading this story! Tell me what you think! Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 ***********Decision Time********************************

Charlotte and Cooper had been looking for houses for the past two weeks. Cooper would make appointments to look at them but Charlotte would find a problem with every house they looked at.

"Good news Charlotte, Pete told me his neighbor is moving to New York because of a job transfer and needs to sell his house quick. I think we should look at it" Cooper told her.

"You want to be neighbors' with Pete?" Charlotte asked.

"Yeah,Why not? Pete says it's a big house it has four bedrooms with a large master suite and bathroom. It has a decent size yard, well for LA anyway, and there is a playground already in the backyard along with an in ground swimming pool." Cooper said excited.

"Sounds nice!" Charlotte agreed.

"Yeah and that's not even the best part. Pete said the guy needs to sell quickly so if you pay cash he will come down significantly on the price. He needs the money to buy a house in New York." Cooper told her.

"Okay I'll go look at it." Charlotte caved in. Charlotte wasn't sure yet if she wanted to move in with Cooper. What would she tell Scott? She wondered.

Cooper and Charlotte looked at the house and they both fell in love with it. They decided to put an offer down on the house. Charlotte figured it would be best that the twins lived with both parents even if they used separate bedrooms. Charlotte still wasn't sure if she wanted to spend her life with Cooper or Scott.

"Charlotte, wear something nice tonight. I want to take you out to celebrate on us buying the house." Cooper told her.

"It's not a done deal yet, Coop" Charlotte told him.

"No but it will be soon enough so let's celebrate. I'll pick you up at six." Cooper said.

That evening Cooper took Charlotte out to a fancy restaurant. Charlotte was surprised. Normally, Scott took her out to fancy restaurants. Cooper was more into bars but she liked this side of Cooper. She didn't see it often. He was all dressed up. He took her to a four star restaurant with a live band. Charlotte was impressed Cooper found this place. He must really be happy about that house she thought.

The band announced that they had a special request for the song. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" by Elvis Presley and Cooper asked Charlotte to dance.

"Come on Charlotte . Let's dance!"

"Are you serious Coop? You want to dance?" Charlotte was surprised.

"Yeah of course, we're here to celebrate right?"

"Right, okay I'll dance with you but be careful of my big belly." Charlotte was five and a half months pregnant now.

"Charlotte you look beautiful and radiant tonight. You're belly is not big."

"What has gotten into you tonight Coop? "Dishin' out compliments and all. So not like you." Charlotte told him kind of shocked at Coopers' kindness.

"It's about time I started showing you how I feel about you". Cooper told her. "Come on now let's dance before the song is over already!"

As they got on the dance floor the song had already started and the band announced:

"**This** song is dedicated to **Charlotte** from **Cooper**"

Charlotte looked at Cooper shocked. "Could there be another Charlotte and Cooper here? She asked him.

"No Char this song is for you." Cooper said softly and they began to dance.

"_Like a River flows surely to the sea Darling so it goes Some things are meant to be_ "_ C_ooper was singing along to the song as he and Charlotte swayed slowly against each other to the music her hands around his neck. Charlotte looked into his eyes and he sang.

"_Take my hand take my whole life too for I can't help falling in love with you." _Charlotte felt the tears come to her eyes. She didn't expect anything like this from Cooper. They continued to dance to the song and Cooper sang softly to her.

After the song was over they sat down since there meals had arrived.

"That was nice Cooper. Thank you. I didn't know you could be so romantic."

"I told you I wanted to do things right this time." So how am I doing?" he asked.

"You're doing great Coop."

"Charlotte you're the best thing that ever happened to me and I don't want to lose you again"

Charlotte just ate her food and knew that she was going to have to make a decision soon.

Was it going to be Cooper or Scott? She wondered. It was a very close race in her mind.

The next day Cooper surprised Charlotte at the door.

"Come on Char I have a surprise for you."

"What kind of surprise?" Charlotte was curious.

"Don't worry. Let's just go before we miss it"

"Where are we going?

"To the beach!"

Charlotte and Cooper arrived on the beach and set up some beach chairs. Soon they saw a little plane flying above the water pulling a big sign.

"Look Char you see that plane up there"

"Yeah .What about it Coop?"

"Read the sign he's pulling"

**Marry Me Charlotte Love Cooper.**

Charlotte was shocked and just stared at Cooper with her mouth open. Cooper pulled a ring out of his pocket and took Charlottes' left hand in his. As he slipped the ring on her finger he asked "Charlotte will you marry me?"

Charlotte looked at the ring he slipped on her finger and then at Cooper and said **"Yes"**

Charlotte had made her decision. Cooper leaned in and gave her a long sweet kiss.

Further down the beach Addison and Pete were having dinner outside on Addison's back deck when they saw the plane fly by with the sign. "Oh my goodness! Do you see that Pete?" I didn't know Cooper was so romantic"

"I guess you can change if you are in love" "I'm happy for them"

"Yes me too!" said Addison.

**B**ack at Violet's house the phone rang. Violet answered

_Hello_

_Hello, Violet this is Scott. Is Charlotte home?_

_No Scott. Try calling her cell._

_I did she doesn't answer._

_Oh well, I don't know where she is Scott_

_Can you give her a message for me Violet?_

_Sure. What is it?_

_Just tell Charlotte that I will be coming back to LA next week._

_Okay glad to hear it Scott. I'll let Charlotte know._

After Violet hung up the phone Charlotte and Cooper came in the door.

"Violet we have news for you Cooper yelled as they entered the house"

"What is it Coop?"

"Charlotte and I just got engaged"

Charlotte put out her hand so Violet could get a look at the ring.

"Congratulations!" Violet said while admiring Charlotte's ring.

"Oh and by the way Charlotte" Scott just called. "He's coming back to LA next week."

Charlotte's face dropped. She felt her heart drop into her stomach and stated feeling sweaty.

"Are you all right Charlotte? You look pale all of the sudden" Cooper told her. "Here come and sit down".

As Charlotte sat down she could feel the cramps starting in her belly.

"Oh no! "she cried. "You better call Addison!"

**Review Please!**


	14. Chapter 14 Just Breathe

**Chapter 14 *******************JUST BREATHE**************************

**Addison and Pete arrived at the hospital as soon as they received the frantic call from Cooper that Charlotte was having contractions.** The nurses had already hooked Charlotte up to a monitor that measures the babies' heart rates and to check for contractions. They were busy starting an IV and checking Charlottes' vital signs. Cooper was frantic with worry. Charlotte was trying hard to hold back the tears. Charlotte was terrified but wouldn't let a tear fall from her eyes in the company of Cooper ,Violet, Addison, Pete and her staff nurses.

"Addison you need to do something quick! The monitor is showing contractions about twelve minutes apart" Cooper shouted his voice loud and shaky.

"Alright Cooper you need to calm down." Addison turned to the nurses. " Give Dr. King a bolus of Magnesium Sulfate in her IV to stop the contractions. "Then give her shot of prednisone. I need everyone else to step in the hall so I can examine my patient. Cooper you can stay"

"Okay,okay." Cooper still shaky said as he held Charlotte's hand while the nurse gave her a shot and Addison examined her.

"The good news is that your cervix is still closed and your water has not broken. The not so good news is that you're having contractions. With luck the Magnesium Sulfate will stop them. You're about 23 weeks pregnant and the survival rate is 50% . Those that do survive are likely to have serious complications at this age. So it's best to try and relax Charlotte and let the medicine do it's job"

"What can I do to help?" Cooper asked pacing the room now.

"You can make sure that Charlotte is relaxed and well rested. Charlotte you need to stay well hydrated. We'll give you IV fluid but drinking water will also help. You're going to need to stay on strict bed rest until these contractions stop. Cooper do you mind giving me a moment alone to speak with Charlotte?"

"Sure no problem, I'll go out in the hall with Pete"

"Charlotte, Are you okay? You haven't said one word since I came in the room."

"What do you think Montgomery? Do you honestly think I am okay right now?"

"No Charlotte, but I know you used to work OB. You've seen women with premature contractions before and you've seen them end up delivering healthy babies."

"And I've also seen the times when it didn't end up so well."

"'Okay Charlotte. There is no reason to think that is going to happen to you. You need to think positive and just breathe. Take my hand and just breathe"

"Thanks Montgomery."

"Oh congratulations by the way, Pete and I saw the plane flying overhead. So did Cooper propose?"

"Yes. Yes he did. On the beach after the plane flew over with the sign."

"I didn't know Cooper was such a romantic." Addison smirked.

"Neither did I. " now Charlotte was laughing.

"Good" Addison said " That's good" as she sat there holding Charlotte's hand.

Meanwhile Cooper was speaking to Pete and Violet in the hall.

"So congratulations Coop. Addie and I saw the plane with the sign last night. So did she say yes? Pete asked.

"Yeah she did. She said yes" Cooper replied

"Whatever happened with that house I told you about?"

"We put an offer down on it and everything was going great until now. Until Charlotte started having contractions. I can't lose these babies Pete. If we lose the babies I lose Charlotte too." Cooper was rambling.

"Come on Coop, you said Charlotte said yes so you wont lose her." Pete tried to reassure him.

"She said yes because she's having my twins, otherwise I'm sure she would never have taken me back.' Cooper rambled

"Why do you say that?" Violet asked as she rubbed his back to calm him.

"Because I was horrible to her in the months before we broke up. I yelled at her all the time and she just took it. Then when we broke up I called her a sex toy from the internet.

I called her a trashy little girl that just wanted to please her dead daddy. I called her heartless and a bitch." Cooper rambled on and on.

Pete gasped. "Cooper, Why would you sat that stuff to her?"

"I was mad. I was crazy mad because she wouldn't talk to me about her marriage. I figured she's mine and we shouldn't have any secrets. I know, I know I'm a big jerk."

"Cooper I know Charlotte loves you and wants to be with you." Violet comforted him.

"But Scott is so nice to her. He would never hurt her the way I did. Sometimes I think I should just set her free like that song says 'If you love someone set them free'. Let her be happy with Scott. I mean he is so good to her. He even nicknamed her Princess Alabama and I know she loves it. He buys her jewelry and flowers" Cooper continued to ramble talking fast and shaky.

"Cooper. Charlotte made her decision and she chose you. Just let her be at peace with it." Violet assured him still rubbing his back.

Addison came into the hall now. "Charlotte's sleeping and that really is the best thing for her right now. Maybe you could try and get some rest Coop!"

"No. No I can't" Cooper responded still anxious.

"Cooper, Why don't I take you home to pick up some things for Charlotte? I'm sure she'll want to wear her own clothes. Charlotte King wouldn't get caught dead in a hospital gown." Violet joked and they all laughed.

Later that evening Cooper came back to see Charlotte. He had his arms full of stuff, he walked over to her and handed her a bouquet of roses. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and said:

"How are you feeling Princess Alabama?"

Charlotte gave him a look like he had two heads.

"What's the look for? Cooper asked "You like it when Scott calls you that"

"I'm just not used to hearin' it out of your mouth" Charlotte said with her eyebrow raised. "But I can get used to it." she smiled at him.

"So how are the babies? Little Cooper Michael Jr. and Sarah? Cooper asked the concern pouring out.

"They're good" Charlotte told him "According to the monitor their heart rates are good and they're kicking up a storm from all this sugar I'm getting from the IV fluid".

"Anymore contractions?" Cooper asked.

"They've slowed down a lot from the Magnesium Sulfate. Addison wants to keep me on the drip for 24 hours and then we'll see what happens. But I'll tell ya Coop it's makin' me really nauseous."

"Just try to relax Charlotte. Here I brought your lap top and a dvd. It's to help you relax". Cooper said as he slipped the dvd into the laptop. Pete gave it to me for you. He uses it on his patients."

Charlotte sat back in bed and listened to the relaxing music while watching images of birds, butterflies and horses on her laptop screen. Cooper held her hand and told her to "just breathe. He felt her hand relax in his and watched her close her big green eyes and finally fall to sleep. He put his hand on her belly and could feel the babies' kicks. "This feels right" Cooper thought to himself. "This feels right". He thought about his single life before he met Charlotte. He cringed at the thoughts of the man he used to be using hookers and the internet for sex. Now that life seemed so wrong to him. This is what he wanted. He wanted Charlotte and the twins and he would do anything to make it happen.

"Just breathe" he thought to himself "just breathe" as he sat back and watched the dvd .

**The contractions stopped** and Charlotte was cleared to be discharged from the hospital several days later. She was ordered to stay on strict bed rest for the time being by Addison. Cooper and Violet took turns coming home from work during the day to check on her and serve her meals.

It was Violet's turn to check on Charlotte. She had just finished making some soup for her charge when the doorbell rang. Violet opened the door and was surprised to see Scott standing there.

"Hello Violet. I'm here to see Charlotte. I have some things for her and I really need to talk to her about something."

"It's not a good time Scott. Charlotte is on bed rest and can't really have visitors." Violet told him.

"Believe me what I have for her is sure to cheer her up. I promise not to stress her out." Scott convinced Violet.

"Okay come in then." Violet followed Scott into the living room curious about what was in the big box.

Charlotte saw Scott walking into the room and her heart started beating faster. "Why did Violet have to let him in?" she said to herself.

**Please review if you are reading. I like the input. **


	15. Chapter 15 White Lies

**CHAPTER 15 **********White**Lies******************************************************

**Violet followed Scott into the living room where Charlotte was resting on the couch eating her soup that Violet just made for her.** "What's in the box Scott?"

"It's a surprise for Charlotte." When he approached Charlotte on the couch he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. " Hey Princess Alabama. It's so good to finally see you again."

Charlotte just gave him a smile while trying to sit on her left hand so he couldn't get a look at her engagement ring.

Scott placed the box next to her on the couch while he sat on the other side of the box.

Charlotte was curious, still hiding her hand she asked. "What's in the box?"

"Open it! It's from your mother"

Charlotte loved receiving packages from momma so she dug into the box. She pulled out a pink worn baby blanket.

"Your mother said you used to take that blanket everywhere you went" Scott informed a surprised Charlotte.

Charlotte pulled out three more baby blankets Al l were hand knit with yarn. Scott explained them to her. "The pastel one was yours when you were a baby. Your grandmother Sarah knitted them all. Yours is multi-colored pastel because they didn't know if you were going to be a girl or boy while she was knitting it. The pink one she just knitted for your new baby girl and the blue one is obviously for the boy"

Charlotte was stretching out the blankets to look at them, when Scott suddenly gasped to himself.

"What's wrong Scott?" Violet asked.

"Oh nothing Violet. Nothing at all" Scott had just noticed the diamond ring on Charlottes' left ring finger. He said nothing . He just stared for a moment. Violet and Charlotte were too busy looking at the contents of the box to notice.

Charlotte pulled out another outfit and Scott explained "your mother said that is the outfit they took you home from the hospital in and the other is your christening dress."

"Cooper's Jewish" Violet chimed in.

"Yes, Violet that is something Cooper and I will have to discuss when the time comes." Charlotte pulled a baby book out of the box. There were pictures of momma and big daddy holding her and pictures of her with her brothers. Charlotte felt tears coming to her eyes when she saw the pictures of big daddy holding her. She really missed him but now wasn't the time. She couldn't let Violet and Scott see her all teary so she slammed the book shut. She would look at it later when they were both gone.

"So Scott, how are you doing with that issue you had?" She was careful not to mention the pill problem in front of Violet. Violet took the hint and excused herself to the kitchen".

"I'm doing great Charlotte. The doctor you referred me to was excellent. He recommended the same treatment for me that he recommended for you when you saw him."

"What's that?"

"That I start over in a new city. He suggested I leave LA so I don't fall into the same patterns and habits.

After I leave here I am going to be handing in my resignation letter at the hospital."

"I'm really going to miss you Scott but I know you have to do what's best for yourself right now."

Scott got up to leave. "Goodbye princess Alabama. I'll miss you"

"Come over hear and give me a proper goodbye."

Scott sat close to Charlotte on the couch and they shared a long slow kiss. When they finally broke the kiss Charlotte told him "You better stay in touch Romeo."

"You better believe I will" Scott blew her another kiss as he walked out the door.

When Violet heard Scott leave she came out of the kitchen. "Did you tell Scott that you got engaged to Cooper?"

"No, I didn't need to he's leaving town. He's on his way to the hospital to hand in his resignation now."

"Wow .You got lucky . He didn't even notice your ring."

"Guys don't notice stuff like that Violet."

* * *

**Later that day at the hospital Cooper saw Scott.**

"I didn't know you were back in town Scott."

"Congratulations, Cooper I see that you got engaged to Charlotte?"

"Did Charlotte tell you? When did you see Charlotte?"

"I dropped off a package to her from her mother and I saw the ring. She didn't tell me."

"How did you have a package from Charlotte's mother?"

"Charlotte sent me to the doctor she used for her pill addiction in Alabama. I stayed at her mother's house while I was there."

"I didn't know."

"Don't be mad at her Cooper sometimes you keep things from the people you love to protect them."

"So are you over your addiction now?"

"Yes I am, but I'm here to hand in my resignation. I'm leaving LA."

"Why?" Cooper asked

"I told Charlotte that the doctor recommended it."

"Something tells me that's not the truth. Something tells me it's a little white lie to protect Charlotte."

"I saw the ring on her finger and wanted to save us both the agony of the breakup talk so yeah I told her a white lie."

"Where will you go?" Cooper asked.

"I haven't had much time to think about it since I just found out I was moving today but I'm thinking about going back to Alabama. I really enjoyed my time there. There's a hospital close by Charlotte's mothers' house. Maybe I'll get a job there." Scott told Cooper thinking about it as he was speaking.

Cooper didn't like the idea that Scott had become so friendly with Charlotte's mother. He only met her once when he visited at the time big daddy died and momma was abusing pills then. Cooper was sure she didn't remember him. But he was happier to have Scott in Alabama than in LA close by Charlotte.

"I'm letting her go Cooper because she's having your twins. I don't want to be a home wrecker but I better not find out that you hurt her ever again. So help me if I find out that you've done or said anything to hurt her I'll be on the first plane back to reclaim her and make you sorry you're alive."

"I love Charlotte. She's mine and she always will be. We have an eternal love. No one could ever stand in the way of that" Cooper told him.

"Eternal love! Man are you hitting the schnapps ? Who says that? You sound like a girl" Scott said as he laughed at Cooper.

"Laugh at me all you want Scott but it's true and I got the girl. Who's laughing now?" Cooper smirked as he walked away.

* * *

**Later that evening Charlotte called her mother to thank her for the baby stuff:**

" _Hey Momma it's Charlotte. Scott brought the box of baby blankets and momento's over this afternoon. Thank you so much. I can't wait to use the stuff on my babies. I didn't know you saved all of that."_

"_I forgot I saved it myself. It was up in the attic. Scott was helping me clean out the attic and we stumbled upon it. So Scott wanted to surprise you with it. I'm sorry I didn't remember and give it to you when Chelsea was born."_

"_That's okay momma! So are you going to miss Scott momma?"_

"_No darlin'. He just called . He's coming back to live here. He was asking me if he could stay here until he found a permanent place to stay. I told him yes. He's a nice boy. What happened that he decided to leave LA today Charlotte?"_

"_Scott told me the doctor recommended he leave LA"_

"_That's news to me darlin'. The last time I saw him yesterday he was looking forward to moving back to LA and asking you to marry him. What happened baby?"_

"_Momma I recently got engaged to Cooper. Scott must have saw my ring."_

"_Honey , Why didn't you call and let me know you and Cooper were engaged?"_

"_Well right after it happened I was admitted to the hospital for premature contractions. I didn't want to call and worry you . I'm okay now. I also didn't want Scott to find out like that. He's been so good to me"._

"_Don't worry darlin' Scott will be fine here in Alabama. I'll look after him."_

"_Bye Momma"_

"_Bye honey"_

* * *

_**Cooper came home with a special surf and turf dinner for Charlotte and himself**_

"What's the occasion Cooper?" Charlotte asked while looking the meal over.

"We're celebrating our new life together, we got the house. Things are finally falling into place for us."

Charlotte smiled and Cooper looked at the blankets and other items in the box. He pulled out the christening gown. "Char I'm Jewish"

" I know Cooper. Can we not discuss how we will raise the children tonight? I just want to celebrate."\

Cooper knew this was no time to get into a heavy conversation with Charlotte about which religion to raise the babies. He would wait until after they were safely born to have that discussion with her.


	16. Chapter 16 Happy At Last?

Thanks for the reviews. I am always happy to receive them. This is my first story here so I welcome any input if you have any ideas let me know!!

CHAPTER 16 ******************* Happy At Last**************************

If you saw Cooper Freedman, you would notice that he walked with a bounce to his step these days. He just

signed the closing papers for a new house with his fiance, Charlotte. He arranged to havetheir belongings

moved in as soon as the keys were handed over to him. Charlotte was 28 weeks or 7 months pregnant

with their twins. She was doing well and taken off of bed rest by her doctor Addison Montgomery.

Charlotte was still asleep as the sun rose, shining through their bedroom window onto her face. Cooper put

his hands on her growing belly to feel the babies kicking. "Hey Michael. Hey Sarah, I guess you are a

couple of early birds like your daddy. Try not to kick so hard or you'll wake up mommy and mommy is

cranky if she doesn't get her sleep." Charlotte was startled awake by Coopers hand probing her belly.

"Hey! What are you telling them about me?"

"Just that you could be cranky if you don't get enough sleep."

"I'm not cranky" Charlotte snapped. She couldn't help giving Cooper a little smile because she knew she

was. "Okay so I'm cranky." " Today we get a look at the crumb snatchers. I have a sonogram scheduled

with Montgomery first thing this morning."

"Did you call the twins crumb snatchers."

"That's what big daddy used to call us."

"Okay then. I'll make breakfast while you take a shower. Do you want pancakes or eggs?"

"I'll take a corndog with banana pudding and some mac and cheese with lots of ketchup."

"Charlotte, That's what we've been eating for dinner all week long. Aren't you sick of it yet?"

"Nope."

"I wanted to make you pancakes."

"I don't want pancakes. I want a corndog with banana pudding and mac and cheese."

"Fine." Cooper mumbled to himself as he headed to the kitchen. "Just a few more months to go and then we

can eat like normal people again."

After she got dressed, Charlotte waddled into the kitchen and sat down to feast on her corndog,

banana pudding and mac and cheese with lots of ketchup. Cooper couldn't help but notice how beautiful

she looked sitting next to the large bay window of their new kitchen. Her freshly washed blonde hair

shimmered in the sunlight. He could smell the coconut scented shampoo from across the table. He wanted to

kiss her but didn't want to interrupt her feast.

"What are you starin' at Coop?" "It's like you never saw a pregnant woman eat before." " I don't care what

I look like right now. I'm starving. These little crumb snatchers are suckin' me dry."

"I'm just watching you enjoy your breakfast." Just a couple more months and I'll be able to help you feed

them."

"I'm gonna hold you to it, Coop."

"Well, wait aren't you planning on nursing the babies? I assumed you would."

"Two at the same time? Heck, Cooper who do you think I am a cat?

"Nooooo! As a pediatrician I would prefer it if you nursed our babies."

"Then I'll pump. You're not getting off easy Coop. You got me pregnant with twins. You're helping me

tow the line."

" I will. I will. I'm in this for the long haul. Come on finish up. We have that sonogram this morning."

"Are you rushing me Coop?' Charlotte glared at him "Because if you rush me I'm likely to barf and I'll make

sure it happens in your new car."

An hour later Cooper and Charlotte arrived in Addison's office for the sonogram.

"Let's see. When was your last sonogram, Charlotte?" Dr. Montgomery asked.

"It was when I was havin' the contractions at 23 weeks."

"Okay you're 28 weeks now . Let's take a look."

Addison took the sono gel from the warmer and squirted it on Charlotte's belly. She began moving the

transducer around. "Okay . Here's baby A."

"Sarah. Call her Sarah." Cooper smiled as he watched his little girl on the sono screen.

"Sarah looks great." Addison took some measurements which were noticeable by the clicks heard coming

from the sonogram machine. " She's in the 50th percentile, so she's the perfect size for her gestational

age."" Now let's look at baby B."

"Michael" Cooper smiled again. " We're calling him Michael. It's my middle name and it was Charlotte's

father's name."

"Okay, Let's look at Michael" Addison moved the transducer around Charlotte's belly. "Okay, Here's

Michael. Addison checked over all his organs began measuring. There was a lot of clicking and it was

taking a while.

" What's the problem Montgomery?" "What's taking so long?" Charlotte's eyes were wide and her jaw

was tense.

"No. I just wanted to double check my measurements. He's on the small side. He's in the 10th percentile for

his gestational age. Otherwise he looks healthy."

"He's probably just a runt like Charlotte" Cooper said as he patted the top of her head smiling.

"I'm not a runt Cooper! I'm petite."

"Well I guess Michael takes after you." Cooper said kissing the tip of Charlotte's nose.

" I'd like you to have another sonogram in two weeks Charlotte. I just want to monitor the babies growth

closer."

"You mean Michael's growth. You think there's something' wrong Montgomery."

"No Charlotte, I'm just being thorough." Addison assured her.

Charlotte feel quiet deep in thought. Cooper ran his fingers through her soft silky hair. He could see the

emotion brewing in her eyes. "Everything will be okay." He said as he took her in his arms in a bear hug.

"Everything will be alright." He felt her body relax in his arms as she rested her head on his shoulder.


	17. Chapter 17 TAKE ME AWAY

**CHAPTER ********TAKE ME AWAY************************************

**Cooper woke up to the sounds of an African Savannah. He listened to the cuckoos, and guinea fowl singing and he could hear the peaceful sound of water streaming in the background. **He could see Charlotte's silhouette standing outside the sliding glass door of their rented cottage. She turned and noticed Cooper was awake.

"Can't believe it's our last day here Coop. This week just flew by."

"It feels like we just drove here to Napa yesterday, not one week ago. But you look relaxed." Cooper yawned and stretched as he got out of bed.

"That spa did me a world of good. But I want to do the safari tour before we leave today Coop."

"Charlotte, the guide told us they don't allow pregnant women on the tour. It can be bumpy."

"I want it Cooper! I want to go on the safari!"

"Look. We could come back after the twins are born."

"Yeah Coop. Like that's really going to happen. We'll be too busy takin' care of em."

"Did you ever hear the word _'Babysitter'_ Chartlotte? My parents already volunteered to come down and baby sit and I'm sure your mother would come out once in a while to watch the twins so we could get away for a weekend."

"But you want me to nurse. It'll be months before we could leave em. I want to go on the safari today!"

"Who's acting like the baby now Charlotte?"

"You did not just call me a baby!"

"I'm sorry." Cooper sheepishly bowed his eyes.

"It's just that I feel like being away here is so peaceful and it's probably the last time we will, I mean, I will get to spend any time to myself."

"You said _we will_ first Charlotte. Admit it you love being alone with me coz I'm awesome. Admit it!"

"Cooper!"

"Admit it. Come on say I'm awesome and I'll talk to the hotel manager about the safari."

"Coooop!" Charlotte was starting to get annoyed at this.

"Admit it! I'm not going to stop until you do."

"Alright. Fine, you're awesome." Charlotte let out a sigh after she said it. "Now go get permission for me to ride on that safari jeep."

"Okay, I'm going. You get ready. We'll go and get breakfast when I come back."

Cooper came back to the room just as Charlotte was getting out of the shower. He thought she looked radiant combing her wet hair back away from her face without any of her makeup on. She was seven and a half months pregnant with his twins but she was still able to wrap the hotel towel around her body.

"Well?" Charlotte asked with anticipation her big green eyes wide and mouth open.

"We're going on a safari!" Cooper cheered.

"How'd you do it?"

"I'm awesome. Remember?"

"No really Coop. Tell me!"

"I had to sign your life away. Then I had to call Addison and get her to fax over a permission slip for you to go on the jeep. Oh yeah! Addison said to hug a tiger for her."

"Ha! Ha! When do we go? "

"After breakfast."

Charlotte and Cooper headed to the Safari Jeep right after a scrumptious breakfast feast of strawberry-banana crepes and eggs benedict with sausage.

"Welcome aboard my name is Pablo. I will be your tour guide." Pablo gave Charlotte a hand helping her up into the jeep. " I promise to go slow and I will avoid the bumpy area's for the lady.' You may miss some of the animals but I guarantee I will give you a very enjoyable tour"

"Thank you." Cooper offered Pablo some cash.

"Are we the only guests going on this safari today?" Charlotte was pleasantly surprised.

"Yes ma'am this was booked as a private tour so that I could avoid the bumpy routes. There will be other tours leaving shortly."

"How much did this cost you Coop?"

"Don't even ask Charlotte." Cooper said under his breath so Charlotte could hear but not Pablo who was starting the drive now." Cooper felt it was well worth it to see Charlotte's eyes light up like a child as she pointed out the exotic animals.

The guide would tell the couple where to look. "If you look to the left of the jeep you will see a giraffe. The one you are looking at is Addison and she has been with us three years". Cooper and Charlotte looked at each other and snickered.

"Look Coop! There she is. I see Addison the giraffe over there eating leaves off a branch." Charlotte was glowing. Her eyes lit up and she wore a bright smile. Cooper leaned in and kissed her.

"This is fun Charlotte. I'm glad we took this trip."

"Me too! Look Coop. I see a Lion!"

"Oh yes" Pablo told them. "He is a male, look at his great mane. We call him Sam." Charlotte burst out laughing and Cooper marveled at the sight of it."

"Do you have any animals you call Violet?" Cooper jokingly asked Pablo.

"No, but that is a good name. I'll keep it in mind for when we get a new animal in." Pablo answered seriously.

* * *

**The next morning Cooper and Charlotte met Addison in her office for a follow up sonogram.**

"Good Morning. How was the safari?" Addison was preparing the sonogram equipment.

"Great we saw ya there Montgomery.!" Charlotte smiled.

"She means there was a giraffe named Addison." Cooper had to explain.

"Okay, Let's start again. How are you feeling Charlotte?"

"Rested, like I gained 20 pounds with all the food I ate. We had four course meals every night not to mention big breakfasts and lunches. I feel like a whale."

"You did gain three pounds this week. Let's see how the babies did with all that food." Addison began moving the transducer over Charlotte's belly. "Sarah put on some weight. She's moved up from the 50% to now the 65% in just two weeks, That's just fine. Now let's look at Michael."

Addison took a while with Michaels' measurements. Charlotte and Cooper listened to the sonogram machine clicking away as Addison took measurements. Charlotte just stared at the ceiling, her jaw tightly clenched.

"Well? Cooper was starting to get concerned now himself,

"Michael dropped down to the 5th percentile. I want to do a Doppler flow study of his umbilical artery tomorrow morning at the hospital."

"How worried should we be? Cooper did all the talking while Charlotte remained silent.

"You don't need to worry yet, Cooper. I'll let you know if and when to worry."

Charlotte remained silent while she changed back into her clothes and on the ride home. She hardly spoke the rest of the day.

"Charlotte, Addison said there's no reason to worry." Cooper tried to ease her tension rubbing her shoulders.

"I'm a doctor Coop. I'm not an idiot. I know when to worry." Cooper decided to just leave her alone and went to meet Pete and Sam for a drink. He really needed one tonight.

**Charlotte** **and Cooper met Addison at the hospital for the Doppler flow study early the next moring. **Addison probed around with the doppler and used a high tech three D sonogram machine to find Michaels' umbilical cord. Charlotte stared up at the ceiling and didn't utter a word throughout the procedure.

"So how's everything going?" Cooper asked while still a little hung over from his night of drinking with Sam and Pete.

"I'll show you Cooper. Listen carefully. You could hear the blood flow. That is the blood throwing through Michaels' umbilical artery."

"Okay. So is that good Addison?"

"Now, I'm going to let you listen to Sarah's' Addison found Sarah's umbilical artery and let Cooper listen. "Do you hear the difference Cooper? That is what it should sound like."

"It's much louder. So that means that Michael is not getting enough blood flow?

"That is correct Cooper. That's why he's not gaining as much weight as Sarah. It's called …………"

"Intrauterine growth retardation. I'm a pediatrician Addison. I am well aware of the condition."

"Yes Coop I know but today you are a parent." Addison put a hand on his shoulder as Charlotte continued to stare straight up at the ceiling motionless.

"Okay so what do you suggest we do?"

"If Michael wasn't a twin I would suggest scheduling him for a c-section but we also need to consider Sarah. Sarah is healthy and doing well. If I deliver one I have to deliver both and Charlotte is only 30 weeks along. At 30 weeks they have an excellent chance of survival but the earlier we deliver them the more they are at risk for complications.

"Do we have another option?" Cooper was holding Charlotte's hand as she continued to stare at the ceiling silent.

"We could continue the pregnancy but Charlotte would have to be placed on strict bed rest on her left side. This will help increase the blood flow. We would do another sonogram in a week and see if it helps. At least it buys Sarah another week in the uterus.

But I have to tell you there is a small risk of fetal demise for babies with IUGR."

"What do you do if it was you Addison?" Cooper asked while staring at Charlotte wondering why she wasn't reacting to any of this.

"I recommend waiting the week with Charlotte on bed rest but keep in mind there is a small chance of fetal demise to Michael. I just want you to be aware of the risk. In the end the decision is Charlotte's and yours to make."

"Can you give us a minute to discuss it?"

"Sure, I'll be right outside."

Well Charlotte, What do you want to do? What do you think is best?

"Oh No Coop! Don't ask me to make the decision. I can't do this. I just can't! Cooper noticed a look of panic in Charlotte's eyes. Instead of staring at the ceiling her eyes were darting in all different directions as she fumbled to change back into her clothes.

"Charlotte, you're their mother and you're a good doctor. You have to help me to make the best decision for them."

"No, Coop you do it!" I'm not going to be responsible if one of these babies die. I don't have it in me to go through it again. Cooper could see the tears welling up in her eyes now and she was starting to tremble.

"It's okay. I'll make the decision." He wrapped his arms tightly around her in a hug and gently kissed the top of her head a few times until he felt her relax in his arms, until he felt the trembling stop. The whole time he was thinking about what to do. He could feel the babies kick through Charlottes' belly. He thought that was probably Sarah kicking because they were strong kicks. "Addison, you can come in now. I've made my decision."

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	18. Chapter 18 Momma's Here!

**CHAPTER 18*************Momma's Here!*******************************

**Cooper watched Charlotte sleep. She looked peaceful her eyes closed at rest and her jaw relaxed. It was nice seeing her this way.** He didn't dare wake her. The doorbell rang. When Cooper opened the door he was greeted by a petite woman of 60 years. She wore her strawberry blonde hair in a stylish shoulder bob with the bangs whisked to the right side. She wore a flowered dress that came to about 3 inches above her knee and expensive looking designer stilettos. Her hoop earrings matched her hoop bracelets and her make up was done just so. Cooper wondered if this was what Charlotte would look like in another 25 years at least he hoped so.

"Hi. Mrs. King. I'm Cooper. I don't know if you remember meeting me in Alabama last year." Cooper extended his hand for Charlotte's mother to shake.

"Yes darling.' Of course I remember you." Mrs. King grabbed Coopers hand with a firm grip and shook it.

"How was your flight? I'm sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport but I didn't want to leave Charlotte alone."

"My flight was fine. How's my baby girl doin'?" Mrs. King was looking around Cooper and Charlotte's house. It was a bit of a mess with Charlotte on bed rest.

"Charlotte's still sleeping."

"You have a beautiful house." Mrs. King told Cooper as she cleared empty beer bottles and peanut shells off the coffee table in front of the television.

"Thanks Charlotte and I love it." Cooper was picking his dirty socks up from the floor now. "Make yourself at home. I'll take your suitcase to the guestroom."

"Thanks darlin'. I'd like to whip up some home cookin' for you and Charlotte while I'm here. Do you have a deep fryer?"

"Uh No. Charlotte doesn't cook much."

"I figured as much. Honey, are you in for a treat with me staying here. I'll just have to go and buy one. I guess I'm gonna have to do some shopping straight away."

**Later that evening, Cooper came home to the smell of freshly fried Chicken and cornbread cooking in the oven.** Mrs. King also made homemade mac and cheese which was Charlotte's favorite as a child.

"Hi darling. I fixed this tray for you and Charlotte. You mind carrying it up the stairs? You can eat in bed with Charlotte and I'll change the sheets for you later."

"Sure. It smells yummy." Cooper took the tray and headed upstairs to the bedroom.

Charlotte was in bed on her left side watching tv. "Oh good Coop you brought me food. It's the only thing I have to look forward to. I feel like a prisoner stuck in this bed for two weeks already."

"You know, your mother reminds me so much of you." Cooper placed the tray of food on the bed table.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing Coop?"

"It's good. It's very good. I like your mother."

"Good answer Coop!"

"Cooper darling. There's someone at the door for you!" Mrs. King yelled up the stairs.

Cooper came downstairs to find Violet waiting. "Violet this is Charlottes' mother Mrs. King. " Then turning to Mrs. King. "This is Charlotte's and my friend Violet Turner,"

"Don't be ridiculous Cooper. Call me Momma King both of you if you'd like. That's what everyone calls me back home. All the kids' friends including Scott call me Momma King."

"Oh, how is Scott doing?" Violet hesitated and then added "Momma King."

"He's doin' well. Got himself a good payin' job the local hospital."

"I'm glad to hear it." Violet handed Momma King a bowl of fruit cocktail. " I made this for Charlotte. Here I brought some whip cream. I know how much Charlotte loves whip cream." Violet gave a sly smile to Cooper.

"Mighty nice of ya darling lookin' out for my baby girl like that." Momma King inspected the bowl of fruit cocktail.

"How are Charlotte and the babies doing?" Violet had just come back from a vacation in Costa Rica.

"Good". Cooper answered. "Charlotte's 32 weeks pregnant now. She's still on strict bed rest."

"Is it working is baby Michael growing?"

"He's moved up to the tenth percentile for his weight now and he's maintaining it, so I think I made the right decision." Cooper crossed his fingers and showed them to Violet.

"Cooper! Help me! My water just broke!" Charlotte screamed from upstairs.

"Okay, I'm coming! Cooper yelled back as her ran upstairs.

Ooooouch!" Charlotte cried out. "I'm having contractions now too!

"Her water definitely broke." Cooper turned to Violet "call Addison!".

"Oooooh Coop! Charlotte yelled." I'm feeling a lot of pressure too."

"Ok Charlotte. Just try not to push" Cooper instructed her.

"I just called Addison." Violet announced "She's going to meet us at the hospital."

"I don't have time to get to the hospital. These babies want out now." Charlotte grimaced in pain, trying to get out of bed."

"Charlotte lie back down and just let me check if anything is happening." Cooper spoke in a calm soft voice not to escalate any of the panic going on in the room right now.

Charlotte did as instructed, Cooper lifted up her night gown to check while Violet and Momma King looked away. "Oh my God! I can see the head. This baby is coming out now!"

"I told you they're coming now! Now help me Cooper!" Charlotte screamed.


	19. Chapter 19 A Special Delivery

**Chapter 19-****************** A Special Delivery***************

**Charlotte was 32 weeks pregnant with twins. She was home on bed rest when her water broke. Cooper, Violet and Momma king all ran to her aide. Cooper discovered that the he could see the top of the first baby's head.**

Trying to remain as calm as he could Cooper shouted out orders. "Someone call an ambulance. Someone grab me some towels and baby blankets. Get my medical kit. It's in my car!"

"I'll get the medical kit!" Violet yelled out as she spoke with the 911 operator on the phone.

"I'll get the towels and blankets." Momma King replied rushing out of the room.

" **Ooooooh! **Cooper it hurts, it hurts really bad!" Charlotte was screaming.

"Okay Charlotte. That's because the head is coming out now." Cooper gently guided the dark haired baby girl out of Charlotte.

"Ooooh Cooper! You're hurting me!" Charlotte screamed.

"It's not me. The baby came out fast. I didn't get to do an episiotomy yet." Cooper calmly explained.

"Ooooh." Charlotte continued to cry.

"Here's your medical bag Coop!" Violet hurried over to Charlotte and sat down on the bed next to her wiping the sweat off her head with a cloth.

Cooper took out a light bulb shaped suction syringe and suctioned out the baby's mouth and nose.

"Waaah! Waaaah!" Sarah let out a few loud screams, loud enough to match Charlotte's screams.

Cooper cut the umbilical cord with a pair of sterile scissors from his medical kit and clamped the cord.

"She looks and sounds pretty healthy to me." Momma king said as she took the baby from Cooper and began drying her off with towels.

"Ohhh ! Cooper help me!" Charlotte was having more contractions.

"I am helping you Charlotte. I'm doing the best I can."

"Ooooooh!" Charlotte screamed as the second baby made his way out of her.

"Wow"! Cooper was taken off guard. "I wasn't expecting that. He literally just slipped out."

Cooper suctioned out the tiny baby's nose and mouth. It made a small cry like a kitten. Cooper cut the cord and handed the tiny baby to Violet while he tended to Charlotte.

"I'm waiting for you to deliver the placenta Charlotte. It still hasn't come out yet."

"I hear the ambulance. I better go downstairs and let them in." Violet handed the tiny baby boy, wrapped in the blue baby blanket grandma Sarah knitted, over to Charlotte.

Charlotte studied the small baby. He had fuzzy blonde hair and delicate features like his mom. She noticed his breathing. "His breathing is rapid Coop and his lips are blue."

"Okay the ambulance is here." Cooper assured he, still waiting for the placenta.

As the ambulance crew rushed in the room, Charlotte yelled. "Take the baby! He's a 32 week preemie with IUGR and he's having trouble with his breathing." The ambulance crew assessed the baby and administered oxygen. "We have to take him to the hospital now. We'll call another ambulance for the mother."

"I'll ride to the hospital with Michael . This way you could stay with Charlotte, Coop!

Violet yelled as she followed the ambulance crew with Michael.

Addison came running into the room. "I heard when I was waiting at the hospital. Tell me what's going on Coop!"

"Charlotte delivered them both really fast. They practically slid out. I didn't have time to do an episiotomy so she tore a bit. There's a lot of blood and I'm waiting for the placenta."

"I'll take over now, Coop. You did a good job." Addison patted Cooper on the back.

"Don't I get any credit?" Charlotte yelled out.

"You did great Charlotte." Cooper kissed her forehead. Cooper took Sarah from Momma King and placed her on the bed. He performed a newborn assessment like he would on any of his newest patients. He listened to her heart and lungs and belly. He made sure all her parts were there. Ten fingers. Ten toes. He checked her muscle tone. "She's perfect." Cooper called out proudly. "She looks just like me."

"She does." Momma King agreed. "She's got your dark hair and your eyes, nose and mouth. I think the little boy looks like Charlotte."

"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me Montgomery?" Charlotte yelled as Addison was stitching her up and also pressing firmly on her belly to encourage the placenta to come out.

"I'm trying to fix you back up Charlotte. I need you to deliver the placenta. Where is that other ambulance? I need to get Charlotte to the hospital?"

"Problem?" Cooper asked proudly holding his new daughter wrapped in the pink baby blanket knitted by grandma Sarah.

Addison looked at Cooper with an expression of concern written on her face. She didn't want to scare Charlotte so she didn't say anything.

Cooper's cell phone rang at the same time.

"Cooper, it's me Violet."

"How's Michael doing?"

"Not great Coop. They're intubating him now at the hospital. I thought you should know."

"I'm on my way." Cooper hung up and just left without saying a word.

Addison turned to Momma King who was now holding Sarah again. "You need to call 911 and tell them I need that ambulance now!!!

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	20. Chapter 20 Good DayBad Day

**CHAPTER 20**

Cooper rushed to the hospital to check on Michael after Violet called to tell him Michael was being intubated. Addison was at the house waiting for an ambulance to come for Charlotte. Momma King was there also tending to baby Sarah.

**At St. Ambrose Hospital**

Cooper rushed up to the neonatal intensive care unit. He saw Violet talking to Dr. Dan Shin. Cooper knew Dr. Shin well. Dr. Shin was the head doctor of the neonatal intensive care unit and referred many of his young patients to Cooper when they graduated out of the NICU.

"Cooper" Dr. Shin held out his hand to shake "Congratulations PaPa"

"Thanks Dan." Cooper returned the handshake. "How's the baby doing?"

"I know Violet told you we intubated him. When I first saw him he was breathing very rapid and his lips were cyanotic (blue). We did a chest x ray which revealed an aspiration pneumonia. We started a central IV line and he is receiving his first dose of antibiotics now."

"Give it to me straight Dan. What are his chances?"

"His chances are excellent Cooper. I'm confident the antibiotics will wipe out his pneumonia. Once the pneumonia is resolved his breathing should improve and we can take him off of the ventilator . This could take anywhere from one day or it could take a week to see improvement. We must be patient."

"Besides the pneumonia , does he have any other complications?"

"He's two and a half pounds. We'll give him nutrition through the IV for now. We'll start tube feedings after he is off the ventilator and his breathing is normal. You know babies this small often have difficulty sucking out of a bottle but we will offer it to him before each tube feed until he gains enough weight and is strong enough to suck out of the bottle."

"Can I see him?"

"Sure. I'll take you to him."

Cooper and Violet put sterile gowns on and were escorted to baby Michaels' isolette. The tiny baby had a tube coming out of his mouth hooked up to a ventilator. He had several IV lines, one for nutrition and one for medications. He was still. His tiny chest moving up and down with the ventilator. Cooper reached into the isolette and touched the baby's small hand.

"He'll be okay." Violet rubbed Coopers' back.

Dr Shin added "Your son will be fine Cooper. I told you his chances are excellent. You just have to be patient."

"My son. That sounds strange. I've waited so long for this. I really have a son." Cooper said trying to believe it himself.

Dr. Shins' cell phone beeped as they were talking.

**Meanwhile At Home**

"Where is that ambulance?" Addison said half talking to Momma King and half talking to herself.

"It's on the way now. There was some mix up. They thought it was already sent with the first one that took Michael." Momma King told Addison as she rocked baby Sarah in her arms.

"Oh God! She needs to get to the hospital now!" Addison was getting anxious.

"Montgomery, I'm feeling light headed and my head really hurts too." Charlotte told Addison in a quiet voice sounding very unlike Charlotte.

"Charlotte, you've lost quite a bit of blood. You have placenta accreta. I'm going to have to take you the OR as soon as we get to the hospital. But you'll be okay. You got the best doctor around." Addison talked gently and smiled at Charlotte.

Charlotte offered a small smile back.

"What is placenta accreta ? Will she be okay?" Momma King asked concerned for her daughter.

Addison answered "It's when the placenta remains attached to the uterus. I have to remove it in the OR. It is causing Charlotte to lose blood. That is why she is feeling light headed and weak."

Mrs. King held Charlotte's hand while Addison called the hospital.

"I need an OR room for Dr, King. She has placenta accrete and is hemorrhaging so I will need 4 unit of O- blood ready to hang on her as soon as we get there." Addison told the hospital staff.

"Where's Cooper?" Charlotte asked in a weak voice.

"He's already at the hospital visiting Michael but don't worry honey. Mommas here."

The ambulance crew arrived and prepared Charlotte for the ride to the hospital.

* * *

**Back At St Ambrose**

Dr. Shin received a beep on his cell phone.

"Looks like I have a new little delivery in the ER that I need to go and see. I believe it is your daughter Cooper "

"Oh Sarah, I checked her out at home. She's perfect" Cooper boasted as a proud father.

"Let's walk to the ER and see your daughter Cooper." Dr. Shin led the way.

They went straight to the newborn room in the ER. Dr. Shin examined Sarah as Cooper watched his perfect little girl in awe.

"She appears very healthy Cooper. She's four and a half pounds which is fine." Dr. Shin reported.

"Where's her mother?" Violet asked the nurse in the room.

"Oh you mean you don't know. Dr. King is in the shock/trauma room. They're hanging a blood transfusion on her now and prepping her for emergency surgery."

"What??" Cooper and Violet asked at the same time.

"Apparently Dr. King is in hypovolemic shock from hemorrhaging after giving birth."

Cooper and Violet ran to Charlotte's room. Charlotte's mother was with her and Addison had gone to the OR to scrub for the surgery.

"What happened Momma King?" Violet yelled in a panicked tone.

"Charlotte has placenta accreta. She's lost a lot of blood and needs an operation. Dr. Montgomery promised me she will be okay."

Cooper hurried over to Charlotte and grabbed her hand. He noticed it was cool and clammy and she was barely conscious.

"Charlotte, it's me. I'm here and I love you. We have two perfect healthy children. They're both going to be okay so now we need you to be okay." Cooper said as the tears came to his eyes.

Charlotte made a weak moan to acknowledge she heard him

"We have to bring Dr. King to the OR now. Dr. Montgomery is ready and waiting."

The nurses told Cooper.

Cooper gave Charlotte a soft kiss on her lips and told her he loved her again as they started to wheel her away on the stretcher.

Cooper, Violet and Momma King all waited in the OR lounge for word on Charlotte. They took turns going to sit with Michael and Sarah to pass the time as they waited.

"This should be the happiest day of my life. I can't lose Charlotte. I can't raise the twins by myself. I wouldn't want to." Cooper told Violet trying to be a man and hold back the tears he wanted to cry.

"Of course you would Cooper. The twins are part of Charlotte . Of course you would." Violet was using her calm and soothing therapist voice now.

"Stop talking like this. My daughter is strong and that Dr. Montgomery told me she was the best. She promised me Charlotte will be okay." Momma King was also trying hard to contain her tears.

They all looked up to see Dr. Montgomery heading over them from the OR.

"How's Charlotte?" Cooper asked with knots in his stomach since he was afraid of the answer.

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	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21************* Recovery**********************************

**Dr. Addison Montgomery walked over to the worried trio in the waiting room.**

"How's Charlotte?" Cooper was holding his breath waiting for the answer.

"Charlotte did okay. I was able to remove the placenta fairly easily in the OR. However she lost a lot of blood while we were at home waiting for the ambulance. We've been transfusing her with blood and clotting factors since she arrived at the hospital." Dr. Montgomery explained.

"Will she still be able to have more children?" Momma King asked.

"Yes, I left her uterus intact. There moving Charlotte to the recovery room now. Normally they don't allow visitors in recovery but since Charlotte runs this hospital the staff is willing to extend professional courtesy and let you all in." Addison explained.

"Oh that would be great!" Momma King was relieved she could see her daughter.

"They're putting her in a room in the corner typically used for isolation patients, so you can have some privacy. I'll be back to check on her later today."

"Remind me to send those nurses a big box of candy." Cooper told Addison as he headed to the recovery room with Momma King and Violet.

When they approached Charlotte they could all see she was asleep. She was white as her bed sheets and had a blood transfusion running in through an IV. They all gasped at the sight of her. Cooper held onto one hand while Momma king held on to the other. A young nurse came over.

"Hi, I'm Tammy. I'm Dr. Kings' nurse. You can hold her hand and talk with her. She's going to be very weak because of the blood loss but try to talk to her and wake her up. The sooner she wakes up the sooner we can move her out of here into an icu room."

"Why does she need icu?" Violet questioned.

"It'll probably be just for today. Dr. Montgomery wants her blood counts closely monitored and we anticipate her to need more transfusions" nurse Tammy told her.

"This reminds me of the time Charlotte was fifteen years old. Charlotte was competing in a horse show with Marjorie, that was Charlotte's horse. Marjorie threw Charlotte off her back during a jump. Charlotte spent two days in a coma. Her father and I sat by her side holding her hand and talking to her until she woke up." Momma King went on to tell the story. "When Charlotte returned home from the hospital she was mad at Marjorie. Marjorie and Charlotte had competed in tons of horse shows over the years and took home many ribbons and trophy's. So Charlotte was upset at Marjorie for throwing her this time. She wouldn't go out to her stall and care for her like she normally did. Marjorie died two days later. The Vet said it was an equine flu and that Marjorie probably had it a while and that's why she threw Charlotte at the show. Marjorie was already feeling sick at the point. After that Charlotte felt guilty. She didn't want to come home after school knowing Marjorie wasn't there. She started hanging around this new group of kids. Her brother Duke told us they were known to be heavy marijuana smokers. My husband and I could smell it on Charlotte's hair. We confronted her about it and then she ran away. The police found her at the friends' house. Charlotte was humiliated. She didn't speak to big daddy and I for weeks after that.

"Wow." Cooper replied. "I knew Charlotte had a horse named Marjorie but she didn't tell me any of the rest."

"Charlotte isn't much of a talker." Momma King went on. "She tends to keep it all bottled up inside."

"Poor Charlotte" Violet added. "It seems like she's had a good share of problems in her life."

"Well you know what they say darlin'. 'What doesn't kill ya will make ya stronger' and my baby girl is one tough cookie because of it."

Charlotte started to open her eyes. "Hey baby girl. Momma's here and so is Cooper and your friend Violet." Charlotte looked at all three of them worried.

"Are the baby's okay?" she asked. Her voice clearly very weak.

"Yes they're great Charlotte." Michael is in the nicu and doing well. He's two and a half pounds and Sarah is perfect she's four and a half pounds. She'll probably come home from the hospital before you do." Cooper decided not to tell Charlotte that Michael was on a ventilator or that he had pneumonia. He figured that could wait until she was stronger.

"That's great." Charlotte said in a very weak voice.

"Hey Charlotte I was thinking. Why don't we call the baby Sarah Marjorie? Remember you wanted to name a baby girl Marjorie last year when we talked?" Cooper understood now why she wanted to name the baby after her horse. At the time he thought it was silly.

"I'd like that Coop." Charlotte gave a small smile and so did Momma King.

"Since Charlotte is awake now I think I'll go take a peek on the babies. Goodbye darling. I'll come visit you later when you're in your room." Momma King gave Charlotte a kiss on the head.

"I'll go with you." Violet called after Momma King wanting to give the couple some privacy.

"Charlotte I'm so glad you're okay! I thought for a minute there that I might have to raise the twins on my own and I just couldn't do it." Cooper confided.

"Sure you could Coop. You're going to be the world's greatest dad." Charlotte responded.

"But I wouldn't want to do it without you Charlotte. Charlotte. I love you more than anything and I never want to be without you again."

"Me too Coop. Me too". Charlotte said as Cooper gave her a gentle kiss.


	22. Chapter 22 Coming Home

**CHAPTER 22************Coming Home*************************

**One week after delivering the twins Charlotte was resting in her hospital room.** Cooper woke her up with a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Good Morning Mommy. I brought you a surprise." Cooper handed her a little purple velvet box.

Charlotte's face lit up as she opened it. "A horse necklace Cooper?" Charlotte looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Turn it over Charlotte. It's 20 karat gold. It has the babies birthday engraved on the back and each of those trophy charms hanging down have the babies names engraved on them. I had it made up special for you. The eye is a diamond."

"I love it Cooper." She gave him a little kiss. "Can you put it on me?" Cooper put the necklace on Charlotte and then kissed her neck.

"Hold on you two. You have to wait a few more weeks before you're allowed to do any of that. We can't have Charlotte getting pregnant again this quick." Dr. Addison Montgomery said as she came in the room on her morning rounds.

"Hey Montgomery. Cooper just was putting on my new necklace." Charlotte held it out for Addison to look at.

"I didn't know you liked horses Charlotte. I was raised on horses as a little girl."

"Me too. Montgomery." Charlotte said fascinated they had this in common. "I did riding shows since I was real young. Won lots of trophys." Charlotte boasted.

"I have another surprise for Charlotte. I reserved a cabin for us at a Dude ranch three months from now. Your Momma already agreed to watch the twins for us. You can teach me to ride." Cooper handed Charlotte a pamphlet of the Dude ranch.

"You are a lucky girl Charlotte because I have more good news. I'm discharging you today." Addison winked at her.

Charlotte's smile turned to a frown. "I don't feel right leaving without Michael."

"You know as the parent you could visit him 24 hours a day in the Nicu." Addison reminded her.

"I know. I want to see him now Cooper." Charlotte demanded.

"Well hold on. Let Addison examine you and discharge you then we'll go visit Michael."

After Addison finished her exam a nurse wheeled baby Sarah in. Cooper picked his little daughter up right away.

"Would you like to nurse her Dr. King?" the nurse asked.

"Um no." Charlotte explained. "I have been pumping milk and her father will feed it to her in the bottle."

"Okay that's fine." The nurse said as she left the room.

"Charlotte. Do you want to hold and feed Sarah this time?" Cooper asked.

"No. Coop you could do it. You're so good at it. "

"Yeah, I am." Cooper boasted as he started feeing his little girl.

Addison handed Charlotte her discharge papers. "Okay you're a free woman now. Just follow up with me in the office in one week."

"Thanks Montgomery. I'm going to go down and visit Michael, Coop."

"I'll meet you down there after I finish feeding Sarah." Cooper told her.

* * *

Charlotte entered the Nicu just as Dr. Shin was removing Michael's ventilator tube.

The small baby gagged and coughed in a tiny kitten voice and it broke Charlotte's heart.

"Can I hold him Dan?" Charlotte was gazing at the tiny baby.

"Oh. Hi Charlotte. I didn't know you were standing here. Sure you can hold him. He's doing well. His lungs are clear from the pneumonia. Now we need to concentrate on him gaining weightt. We'll start tube feeds is a few hours. You can try to nurse him if you like but don't expect him to take much as he is going to be sluggish at first." Dr. Shin explained.

"I know Dan but I want to try." Charlotte sat down. The nurse put the tiny baby in Charlotte's arms and closed the blinds so she could nurse in private.

A few minutes later Cooper came down and was surprised to see the baby off the ventilator and Charlotte trying to nurse him. "Wow." Cooper said. They're letting him feed already?"

"They don't expect him to get much. It's more like practice for later." Charlotte told Cooper.

"Good news Charlotte. They're letting Sarah come home today too. The docs are satisfied she's gaining weight and they're preparing her discharge papers now."

"That's nice Coop." Charlotte said as she stared at little Michael trying to nurse.

"When you're done with Michael we can go back to your room and go over Sarah's discharge papers with the nurse. Then we can take our daughter home."

"That's okay Coop. I want to stay here with Michael for the morning. Why don't you bring her home. You can leave Sarah with my mom and then you can come back and visit me and Michael." Charlotte told him.

"Okay. I guess that is okay." Cooper said as he headed back to Charlotte's room.

**Cooper arrived home with baby Sarah.** He was greeted at the door by Momma King.

"What's that delicious smell?" Cooper asked while sniffing the air.

"I'm preparing seafood jambalaya for lunch. You could bring some up to the hospital for Charlotte. It beats hospital food and I'd love to watch my granddaughter."

"Sounds good." Cooper said as he tasted a spoonful of the jambalaya. "That's yummy, I don't think I'm ever letting you leave."

"Thanks darlin'. It's nice being appreciated." Momma King told him as she stirred the pot.

"Can I ask you something?" Cooper said rather unsurely.

"Shoot darlin' ask me anything."

"Have you ever seen Charlotte hold or feed Sarah since she was born?"

"No darlin'. Charlotte was too weak early in the week and I haven't been there when Sarah was in the room with her after that. Why?"

"Because whenever I offer to let her feed Sarah, she always says 'no you do it Coop'. But she's trying to feed Michael now. I just don't get it." Cooper was confused.

"I wouldn't worry about it darlin'" Momma King handed him a spoonful of jambalaya." I'm sure once she comes home it'll be just fine."

"I hope so." Cooper said. "I hope so."

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	23. Chapter 23 Meet the InLaws

**Chapter 23************Meet the In Laws***************************

**Charlotte and Cooper were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Cooper's parents Phyllis and Stuart Freedman of Ohio. Momma King was making a big dinner to welcome them.**

"Mmmm. That smells good. What are you cooking Momma?" Copper asked his future mother in law.

"I'm making a roast loin of pork with biscuits and gravy, mashed potatoes, some corn, some greens and Charlotte's favorite macaroni and cheese." Momma answered proudly. She was an excellent cook and she knew as well.

"My parents don't eat pork." Cooper said bluntly.

"You're kidding. I didn't know that." Momma King was thinking. "I'll throw a couple pieces of chicken in the deep fryer for them. Do they eat chicken?"

"Yes. They eat chicken. That will be fine. Thank you Momma."

Baby Sarah stated crying while Cooper and Momma were talking in the kitchen. "Can you get her darling? I've still got some cooking to do". Momma King asked Cooper.

"I will but I want to wait a minute first to see if Charlotte will go to her." Cooper answered.

Charlotte came in the kitchen. "Momma the baby is crying. Can you tend to her? I'll finish up here in the kitchen for you." Charlotte came in all dressed up in a short black dress and heels for the arrival of her future in laws.

"You actually want to cook, baby girl?" Momma King looked at her daughter funny.

"I don't want to but if I have to I will." Charlotte answered.

"Why don't you get the baby Charlotte and let your Momma handle the cooking?" Cooper told her. Charlotte just gave him a look and walked away. The baby continued to cry so Cooper picked her up.

The doorbell rang and Charlotte answered it. Stuart and Phyllis Freedman were standing outside the door with Violet Turner. The Freedman's were a well dressed couple in their early seventies. Mrs. Freedman had short curly red hair and wore a lot of makeup Charlotte noticed. Almost overdone Charlotte thought. Mr. Freedman was bald with a little bit of gray hair in the back and he wore black rimmed glasses.

"Come on in." Charlotte said with a nervous but cheery sounding voice. "I'm Charlotte."

"Nice to finally meet you Charlotte." Stuart Freedman said extending his hand out to her. "Cooper has told us a lot about you and sent many pictures but it's good to finally see you in person."

"Thank You." Charlotte shook his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you too." "Cooper!" Charlotte yelled out. "Your parents are here."

"You have a lovely house Charlotte." Mrs. Freedman complimented.

"I hope you don't mind that you have to stay at Violet's house. It's just with the twins each having their own nurseries and my mother staying in the guest room."

"That's quite alright dear." Mrs. Freedman interrupted. "We don't mind staying with Violet."

Cooper came in to greet his parents holding baby Sarah. They said their hellos.

"Oh My!" Mrs. Freedman fussed. " "She's precious. Can I hold her?" Cooper handed the baby over to his mother.

"Oh my goodness Cooper. She looks just like you when you were an infant." Mrs. Freedman was amazed at the resemblance. "It feels like I'm holding you all over again."

"She is the spitting image of you as a baby, son. Same dark hair, same nose, same shaped face. At least we know she's really yours now." Mr. Freedman just realized what came out of his mouth. The room was quiet. Everyone just looked at each other.

"What Stuart meant was that you two were broken up for a while when Charlotte was first pregnant. That's what Cooper told us. So we weren't so sure." Mrs. Freedman tried to save the comment her husband made but was just making things sound worse.

"I wasn't with anyone else at the time. There was never a question of the paternity." Charlotte answered shooting a dagger look at Cooper.

Momma King came out of the kitchen. "Hello everyone! Dinner is just about ready if ya'll want to take a seat."

Cooper interrupted. "Momma, I would like to introduce you to my parents Phyllis and Stuart Freedman." Turning to his parents. "This is Charlotte's mom Jenna King but we all call her Momma King."

Mrs. Freedman shook Momma's hand. "Well I'm not about to call you Momma since you're much younger than me."

"Jenna will be just fine then." Momma shook her hand first and then shook Mr. Freedman's hand. "I hope you're hungry Stuart I've cooked up quite a meal."

"It smells terrific. I'm starving." Mr. Freedman shook Momma's hand then found a seat at the table.

Everyone sat down to eat as Momma King brought out the appetizers first. She served shrimp cocktail with a salad and she put out some home made biscuits and gravy along with some hushpuppies. Mr. Freedman and Cooper each took a handful of hushpuppies.

"I can't remember the last time I had these. I think it was when Phyllis and I were on vacation in New Orleans a few years back. They are delicious." Mr. Freedman raved.

"You better not eat too many dear." Mrs. Freedman nagged. "They're deep fried. You'll have a heart attack."

"At least you're surrounded by doctor's." Violet joked.

Momma King brought out the main course of roast loin of pork, fried chicken and homemade macaroni and cheese. She ran back and forth from the kitchen bringing out corn and greens.

"Momma. Would you just sit down and eat with us." Charlotte insisted. "You're not the hired help".

"All right then." Momma sat down.

"It's all very good but we can't eat the pork. We're Jewish you know and we don't eat pork." Mrs. Freedman told Momma.

"Cooper eats it." Charlotte told his mother and his mother shot Cooper a dirty look.

"I eat it too" Violet announced. "It's very good Momma King .You are a fabulous cook."

"Can we get off the subject of pork ?" Cooper noticed his mother appeared to be annoyed at him.

"Yes" Mr. Freedman commented. "This is the best macaroni and cheese I think I've ever had in my life. You'll have to give my wife your recipe." Mrs. Freedman looked more annoyed than ever.

"Thanks. It was Charlotte's favorite as a kid. I could never serve my kids the kind out of a box. They refused to eat it." Momma King answered.

"That's all we ever ate is the kind from the box." Mr. Freedman told her. Mrs. Freedman looked at her husband with daggers in her eyes.

"Can we change the subject off of the food?" Cooper asked noticing his mother's discomfort.

"Why Cooper? My mother worked hard in the kitchen all day preparing this meal. She deserves a few compliments." Charlotte said while getting up to clear some plates.

"Mrs. Freedman. Why don't you tell us all some stories about Cooper when he was small?" Violet tried to save the dinner conversation from ending up in an argument.

Charlotte cleared away the dinner dishes while Mrs. Freedman told stories of Cooper's childhood adventures.

Momma King brought out the dessert. "I have a homemade cheesecake with your choice of chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce or I also have a banana pudding with whipped cream served over vanilla wafers." Everyone's mouths were watering.

"Mind if I have a little of both?" Mr. Freedman asked. "They both sound so delicious. I can't decide."

"I feel like I am in a restaurant Momma. I'll have some of both also." Cooper complimented Momma. Charlotte gave him a smile while his mother shot him a dagger.

Baby Sarah, who Mrs. Freedman was holding all throughout dinner began to cry.

"Aren't you eating desert Charlotte?" Mrs. Freedman asked.

"No, I have to fit in my clothes before I go back to work next month." Charlotte answered.

"Well then do you mind holding the baby so I could eat my dessert.?" Mrs. Freedman asked.

"No I can't. I have to get to the hospital. Baby Michael is going to be ready for me to nurse him soon. Bye everyone." Charlotte picked up her purse and left.

Cooper gave Violet a concerned look. "Remind me to talk to you about something later."

"Is Charlotte really returning to work in a month Cooper? What will you do with the twins?" Mrs. Freedman asked.

"We're looking into finding a babysitter for them." Cooper answered.

"That's just terrible." Mrs. Freedman answered. "Little Michael isn't even out of the hospital yet and she already wants to go back to work."

"Charlotte has been out of work a lot during her pregnancy." Violet interrupted. "She really has to go back to work soon if she wants to keep her job as chief of staff at the hospital."

"Whatever." Mrs. Freedman said. "It was different in my day. Mother's actually wanted to take care of their children."

Cooper and Violet just looked at each other.

"I'll fix the baby a bottle mom. Can you just hold her another minute?" Cooper asked.

"Sure, I don't mind holding my granddaughter." Mrs. Freedman replied.

Cooper went in the kitchen. He took a bottle out of the refrigerator and heated it up.

"Here you go mom. Do you want to feed her?" Cooper handed his mother the bottle

"Sure. I would love to." Mrs. Freedman shook the bottle onto her wrist and licked the drippings."

"What are you doing Mom?" Cooper asked.

"I'm checking the temperature. To make sure it's not too hot. That's what I used to do with you. What kind of formula is this anyway? It tastes much different than the formula

I used to give you forty years ago."

"Ugh. It's not formula Mom. It's Charlotte's breast milk. She pumps it for the baby and I feed it to her." Cooper said sheepishly.

Mrs. Freedman made a disgusted look that she just tasted Charlotte' breast milk.

"Well, I'll leave you two to the baby while I help Momma and Violet in the kitchen with the dishes." Cooper told his parents and scrambled into the kitchen.

"She's not your Momma." Mrs. Freedman called after him.

In the kitchen Violet and Momma King were talking about the meal and cleaning up when Cooper came barreling in. "I need to talk to you Violet. It's really important."

"What's up Coop?" Violet questioned.

"I am really super concerned now. Charlotte pumps the milk for her but she wont hold or feed Sarah." Cooper sounded upset.

"Sounds familiar. Huh?" Violet answered.

"But Violet, I understand your situation. You had a traumatic experience with Katie cutting the baby out. That didn't happen to Charlotte. I know she delivered them at home and it wasn't ideal. Charlotte needed to have emergency surgery but she still holds Michael. She is nursing Michael. But she wont hold Sarah. I just don't get it." Cooper rambled.

"Did you ever ask her why Coop?" Violet asked in her therapist voice.

"She just walks away and ignores me whenever I bring it up." Cooper rambled.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Violet asked.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." Cooper responded.

"I know what it is." Momma King answered. "And she's not the type to talk to anyone about it. I just need to figure out a way to make her realize what she is doing without upsetting her too much."

"What is it Momma?" Cooper asked.

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	24. Chapter 24 The Bench

**Chapter 24**********Therapy***********************

**Cooper, Violet and Momma were still in the kitchen discussing the situation of Charlotte not holding Sarah.**

"If you know something Momma. If you think you know why Charlotte wont hold Sarah. Please tell me." Cooper pleaded.

"I just think that Sarah reminds her too much of her first daughter, Chelsea. Not so much in looks. Sarah looks like you Cooper. But I think it's the fact that she is a girl." Momma continued on. "Charlotte loved having a baby girl. She used to dress Chelsea up in all these fashionable baby clothes. Charlotte always put matching bows and ribbons in her hair. She had Chelsea's ears pierced and bought her all kinds of cute earrings. Charlotte loved showing Chelsea off to everyone." I think if she does the same with Sarah she feels like she is forgetting or betraying Chelsea."

"So what do we do about it?" Cooper asked Violet.

"We find a way to keep Chelsea's memory alive so Charlotte doesn't feel like she is forgetting Chelsea by loving Sarah. We could plant a small garden in the yard in her memory." Violet suggested.

"I'll get started on it in the morning. " Cooper gave Violet a pat on the shoulder. "Good thinking."

"That's what I'm here for just part of my job." Violet smiled.

**The next afternoon Charlotte came home from visiting Michael at the hospital to find Cooper, Violet and Momma King planting a garden.** The small garden was full of a variety of pink and purple flowers and there was a white bench along side the garden.

"Wow. It looks like the three of you have been busy while I was out." Charlotte stood over the garden admiring it. "I really like the bench."

"The bench is a gift from my parents." Cooper told her as he finished planting the last of the flowers.

"Oh. But they already sent us a housewarming gift when we first moved in." Charlotte sat on the new white bench.

"It's not a housewarming gift Charlotte. It's for Chelsea. This whole garden is in memory of Chelsea." Cooper stood up and looked at her. "We don't expect you to forget her just because you have a new little girl."

Charlotte swallowed hard staring at the flowers and then said "Thank you" in a quiet voice.

"Well we're about done here Violet. What do you say we go inside for some sweet tea?" Momma King ushered Violet back into the house.

Cooper sat next to Charlotte on the white bench and held her hand. "I hope this is okay. I didn't mean to upset you."

Charlotte squeezed his hand back. "No it's okay. I like it." Baby Sarah who was sleeping in her stroller began to fuss. 

Cooper picked up Sarah and told Charlotte. "It's okay to hold Sarah. You're not replacing Chelsea. Look at her Charlotte. She is totally different. It's a whole new thing."

Charlotte looked at the little dark haired baby in Cooper's arms. "She looks just like you Coop. Can I hold her?"

"Yeah. Of course." Cooper passed the baby to Charlotte and she kissed the babies soft head. Cooper put his arm around Charlotte as she held Sarah. After a few moments he told her. "This feels right Charlotte. I'm so glad you're in my life. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I never met you."

Charlotte laughed. "Remember we met that night at the bar. I was waiting for my date and you sat down. I was horrified that you were my date."

"Hey. I've been told that I'm very hot. A lot of girls would have loved to be my date." Cooper joked back.

"I just meant I was horrified because I knew you. I wouldn't have went home with you for a drink if I didn't think you were hot." Charlotte was smiling remembering when they first dated.

"We never did have that drink." Cooper reminded her. "I had to prove I could handle you all night."

"Now look at us Coop. Who would have thought that we would be getting married and have twins?" Charlotte was looking down at baby Sarah admiring her.

"I would." Cooper answered. "I always wanted to marry you. I always knew you were mine."

Charlotte looked up at Cooper and gave him a small smile. "I guess we need to start planning our wedding before Sarah is old enough to be the flower girl."

"I can't wait." Cooper said giving Charlotte a kiss.


	25. Chapter 25 Happy Family

**Chapter 25 ********* Happy Family******************************

**Two more weeks had passed. The Freedman's went back to Ohio one week ago and Charlotte was relieved. Momma King was staying at the house to help out. Baby Michael was now 4 lbs and this was his first evening home from the hospital. Charlotte and Cooper sat on the white swinging bench near the garden. Cooper was holding Michael and Charlotte held Sarah. Momma King came out and took a picture.**

"What a beautiful family! This is going to make a great picture." Momma King snapped the camera numerous times.

"OK Momma that's enough. I think you've got enough pictures for now." Charlotte held her hand up to her face so Momma would stop snapping the camera.

"Alright ! I'll leave you alone. You'll thank me one day for these family pictures." Momma headed back into the house to clean up the dinner dishes.

"What are we going to do when your mother goes home Charlotte?" Cooper asked while feeding Michael.

"We simply wont let her leave." Charlotte answered while feeding Sarah.

"You mean we'll kidnap her?" Cooper joked.

"No. We'll guilt her into staying. I have to go back to work next week. She has to stay and watch the babies. They're too young for daycare and she wouldn't want us to leave em' with a stranger." Charlotte gave Cooper a sly smile.

"Better watch out Charlotte. What goes around comes around. Someday maybe Michael and Sarah will pull that guilt trick on you." Cooper smiled.

"Yeah. They probably will." Charlotte smiled back.

Charlotte and Cooper watched the sunset as they sat out on the bench feeding their cute little twins. Life was perfect Cooper thought to himself.

******

******

******

******

**Later Cooper kissed Charlotte goodnight after they put the twins to bed. **They kept the baby monitor's next to the bed so they could hear the twins if they began to fuss. Charlotte and Cooper both fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

"_Mommy Mommy! What about me?" The little boy with the blonde hair and green eyes cried._

"_Mommy, Mommy! Don't forget me." Cried the little girl with the long blonde hair._

_The children looked familiar to Charlotte. They were reaching their arms out for her trying to grab her. Charlotte didn't know what to do. She started to walk towards them._

_Then she heard Cooper calling. "Charlotte. Don't go! We need you here! _

"Charlotte. Charlotte. Wake up" Cooper shook her.

Charlotte woke up to find Cooper with his hand on her shoulders gently shaking her. She could hear the twins both crying on the monitors.

"Sorry to wake you Charlotte but they're both crying at the same time. I'll get Michael and you get Sarah."

"Okay" was all Charlotte managed to get out shaken up from the dream she just had. Charlotte headed into Sarah's room to change her daughter's diaper. Charlotte then brought the baby back to bed where she met Cooper already sitting in bed feeding Michael.

"What were you dreaming about?" Cooper asked as he fed Michael the bottle.

"I don't know. Why?" Charlotte answered as if she didn't remember.

"Well, you were tossing and turning like you were having a nightmare. You didn't even wake up when the babies were crying on the monitor. I had to shake you awake." Cooper was amused.

"I guess I was just so tired. I couldn't wake up." Charlotte wondered to herself why she would dream about that little boy and girl.

After the twins were done feeding Charlotte and Cooper put the babies back to bed.

Cooper was already in bed when Charlotte came in the room. Charlotte laid down with her head on Cooper's chest and wrapped her leg around his in a hug.

"Ugh Charlotte. Addison told us we had to wait six weeks before we could do any of that. It's only been five weeks. Believe me I know I've been counting the weeks away."

Charlotte smacked him on the shoulder. "That's not what I'm doing Cooper. I just want to sleep next to you in a hug. Not sex." Charlotte snapped at him.

"Well okay then. I just thought you were getting frisky with me." Cooper laughed to himself.

"I'm not getting frisky!" Charlotte snapped. "Can we just sleep holding on to each other now?"

"Ugh. Sure we can." Cooper put his arm around her back and rubbed it. "But if this leads to anything don't blame me."

"Come on Cooper! Just hold me and get your mind out of the gutter." Charlotte put her head back on Cooper's chest and closed her eyes.

Cooper placed his head back down on the pillow and thought to himself. He knew Charlotte wanted to sleep like this because she was scared of the bad dreams. He wished he could help her. He rubbed her back until she fell asleep. Then……..

"_Mommy Mommy! Why did you leave us?" The little boy called._

"_Don't you love us Mommy?" The little girl asked. _


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26************Room for More?**************************

**Two weeks had gone by and Charlotte returned to both jobs- Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose and to Oceanside Wellness.** Momma King and Cooper decided to take turns feeding the twins at night so they could let Charlotte sleep. Cooper was exhausted too. He was working at Oceanside Wellness and waking up every few hours to feed one of the babies so Momma King wasn't up all night doing it all by herself. It was more important he thought that Charlotte got some sleep. She was working two jobs and had dark circles under her eyes. She had lost almost all the baby weight by now and her face was becoming very thin. Cooper was worried about her health. He let her sleep but she was still waking up with nightmares. Cooper was holding baby Sarah in bed feeding her a bottle while Charlotte slept next to him.

"_Mommy Mommy! I need you." The little girl yelled._

"_Mommy help her. She needs you." The little boy cried._

_The little girl was sliding towards the edge of a cliff. Charlotte grabbed her hand but the little girl was slipping away from her._

"_Nevaeh" Charlotte screamed._

"Nevaeh!" Charlotte yelled and woke her self up. Charlotte sat straight up remembering the dream.

"Are you okay?" Cooper looked at her.

Charlotte didn't answer she just looked straight ahead trying to figure out why she was having this dream.

Momma King came in the room after she heard Charlotte scream. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Cooper handed the baby over to Momma King and asked to see her in the hall.

"What's wrong Cooper?" Momma asked concerned.

"Charlotte had another bad dream. This time she screamed out 'Nevaeh.' I think it shook her up, She's just sitting there."

"Nevaeh is her daughter. She lives with Charlotte's ex in Maryland. Do you want me to talk to her?" Momma asked.

"No. You take care of the baby. I'll talk to Charlotte." Cooper went back in the bedroom.

Charlotte was lying back down again with her eyes open.

"Do you want to talk about it Char?" Cooper rubbed her back gently.

"No" Charlotte answered.

"I heard you call Nevaeh. Have you been dreaming about her?" Cooper asked gently.

Charlotte turned over. "I can't stop. I can't even take sleeping pills. It's drivin' me nuts." Charlotte sounded tortured.

"Okay okay. Maybe talking about it will help." Cooper took her head in his arms and held her. He kissed the top of her head. "I think maybe having the twins remind you of your other children."

"Guess that's it! I just wanna sleep!" Charlotte closed her eyes with her head in his arms and fell back asleep.

* * *

**Mean while in Maryland. Ethan Reynolds, Charlotte's ex husband was talking with his children's nanny-Angela.**

"Excuse me Mr. Reynolds'. Nevaeh is complaining of headaches again, She says she feels like she may pass out." Angela the nanny handed Mr. Reynolds' his coffee.

"She probably just doesn't want to go to school again. I swear I don't know what to do with that child." Mr. Reynolds' picked up his briefcase and was preparing to leave for work.

"If I send her to school sir the school nurse will just call me to pick her up again." Angela was preparing the children's breakfast .

"I've taken her to three doctors and they can't find anything wrong with her. I think she just doesn't like school." Mr. Reynolds answered ready to walk out the door.

"I'm not making it up Daddy. I really don't feel well." The little girl of eight years came down the steps her long blonde hair all messy.

"Nevaeh, the doctor's say there is nothing wrong with you, baby doll. You have to go to school." Ethan Reynolds patted his little daughter on the head. Ethan was a tall attractive gentleman of 35 years. He had a head full of light brown hair and his blue eyes twinkled when he smiled at his daughter.

"The doctor's are wrong Daddy . I don't feel good." Nevaeh insisted and sat down on the steps. "I'm not goin.' "

Nevaeh's older brother Nicolas came down the steps next. Nicolas was eleven. His big green eyes, small upturned nose and blonde silky shoulder length hair all came from his mother. "Is Nevaeh sick again?" Nicolas asked casually as he bounced down the steps.

"No she's not sick. The doctor's say she is fine. She's going to school!" Mr. Reynolds said sternly looking at his daughter.

"The doctor's are stupid!" Nevaeh snapped at her father.

"Don't speak to me in that tone. I swear you remind me more of your mother every day." Mr. Reynolds was waving his finger in her face.

"Hey Dad isn't our mother a good doctor?" Nicolas was excited. "Maybe Nevaeh could go and see her. If she says there is nothing wrong with her then Nevaeh has to drop it and go to school. Deal?"

"Yeah. Daddy. Please can I go see Mommy? Please?" Neveah held her hands together as if she was begging.

"Sorry guys but she lives on the other side of the country in LA" Mr. Reynolds saw the disappointment in his children's eyes.

"Can't we go to LA? I heard it was nice?" Nevaeh begged.

"Please Dad. Can we go?" Nicolas was begging now too.

Mr. Reynolds couldn't say no to their desperate faces. "Fine but Angela will have to take you. I can't get off work. I'll call the airlines later today and book a flight and I'll have to find a hotel. I'll try to look up where your mother is working now and make you an appointment. But Nevaeh if your mother says there is nothing wrong you have to go to school with no complaints ever again.

"It's a deal Daddy." Nevaeh was jumping up and down now.

"Gee! She sure got better quick." Mr. Reynolds was looking at Angela, the nanny. Angela was smiling. She was happy the children were finally going to see their mother again after over seven years. Angela tried to fill in at school events where the mother's should be there. Angela was a tall woman with dark hair and a dark didn't pass off easily as their mother. All of their friends and teacher's knew the Reynolds children didn't have a mother figure in their lives.

* * *

**Five days later Cooper was at work at Oceanside Wellness. Charlotte was busy in her office seeing patients when the trio came up to the desk.**

"May I help you?" Dell asked the woman with long dark hair.

"Does a Dr. Charlotte Reynolds. No. Wait I mean King ? Does work here?"

"Yes. She does." Dell answered cheerfully. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Um No but we really need to see her." The dark haired woman told Dell as the children eagerly looked on. " Little Nevaeh has not been feeling well."

"Well Dr. King is not a pediatrician. We have a pediatrician who can see her." Dell smiled at Nevaeh.

"We really need to see Dr. King. " Angela insisted.

"Well Dr. King is booked today." Dell told her as Cooper came out from the back.

"Here is Dr. Freedman our pediatrician. I can squeeze you in with him if you like." Dell told the woman. "That is the best I can do for you today. Otherwise I could try and squeeze you in with Dr. King later in the week."

"Oh. That's no good. We have to return to Maryland in a few days" Angela told Dell "Fine we will see your pediatrician."

Cooper held out his hand to Angela to shake "Hello. I'm Doctor Freedman." He turned to the children and smiled "You can call me Doctor Coop"

They all followed Cooper back into his office. "So what's going on today?" Cooper handed Angela a clipboard to fill out asking for medical and insurance information.

Charlotte walked past Cooper's office with a patient. "Look. I think that's her" Nicolas pointed Charlotte out to Nevaeh.

"Yeah .She looks just like the pictures we have at home." Nevaeh smiled and was very excited. She jumped off the table and was ready to run after Charlotte.

"Hold on baby girl! You can't just run around. We are in a strange city." Angela pulled her back by the arm.

"But that's Mommy! I want to go see Mommy!" Nevaeh yelled back at her nanny.

"She's working baby girl you can't just run after her at work. She doesn't even know we are here. You'll give her a heart attack." Angela was trying to calm the excited little girl down as she handed the clipboard back to Cooper.

Cooper read the name Angela had written down on the paper work: Nevaeh Charlotte Reynold's. Cooper looked at the little girl and then at the little boy. Cooper recognized the familiar green eyes the little turned up nose and silky blonde hair and he knew.

Cooper looked at the little girl just as her body fell limp to the floor.

"Oh my God!" Screamed Angela

Cooper picked the little girl up and placed her on the exam table. "I need some help in here." He yelled out into the hallway.


	27. Chapter 27 Second Chances

**CHAPTER 27************ Second Chances*************************

**Cooper picked the little girl off the floor and placed her on the exam table. He called out into the hallway. "I need some help in here."**

Violet and Charlotte were the first ones to run into the exam room to see what was happening. They saw a little girl with long blonde hair unconscious on the table. She was completely still and pale. The woman with the long dark hair and dark complexion was visibly upset screaming "Oh My God! Please help her!" There was a young boy with blonde shoulder length silky hair and green eyes who was pleading with Cooper "Please help my sister. Please just help her." Violet took the woman and young boy to her office to try to calm them down and get some information while Cooper and Charlotte worked on the little girl.

Cooper put an oxygen mask on Nevaeh while Charlotte listened to her breathing and heart rate with a stethoscope. Cooper quickly read through her medical history form that Angela had filled out.

"She has an irregular heartbeat." Charlotte told Cooper when she finished listening. "We should do an EKG. Does she have a cardiac history?"

"No" Cooper answered. "She's a new patient. It says she has occasional dizziness and headaches and has passed out before. The doctor's in Maryland didn't find anything unusual on her tests."

"Maryland?" Charlotte asked "She's from Maryland?"

Cooper gave Charlotte a serious look biting his upper lip and handed her the clip board as he had a nurse hook up Nevaeh to an EKG.

Charlotte read the name on the clipboard Nevaeh Charlotte Reynolds. Her heart nearly stopped. She looked at the little girl and then at Cooper. Her eyes were wide and she held her breath a minute before saying to Cooper. "Oh my God. Why is she here?"

Cooper was looking at the EKG reading now ." I don't know but I know they came to see you. You were booked so Dell booked her with me. It looks like she has an arrhythmia."

Charlotte looked at the EKG. "Yeah I could see that. I wonder why the doctor's in Maryland didn't pick it up."

"It probably only happens when she is stressed like when her heart rate is elevated. It says on the history form it is just occasional dizziness. Maybe she was never under stress when those doctors saw her." Cooper answered still reading the EKG.

"Was she under stress now?" Charlotte asked looking at Nevaeh thinking she looks a lot like she did as a baby. She was just bigger now and her hair was much longer.

"She saw you in the hall and became very excited. She tried to run after you but the woman stopped her. After that she fainted."

Nevaeh started waking up. She opened her eyes and was looking around . She immediately pulled off the oxygen mask. "Where am I? I want my daddy." she was trying to sit up and panicking.

"It's okay." Cooper said calmly trying to reassure her. "You're at the doctor's office. You fainted. Did this ever happen to you before? Cooper asked rubbing her skinny little arm very gently.

"Yes" Nevaeh answered him. "Once at school when I was running in gym class and once at home when I was racing with my brother. Angela took me to the doctor but they said I was fine. I told Daddy the doctors were stupid but he didn't believe me. Everyone thinks I am faking it so I don't have to go t school.

"Well we believe that you are not faking it." Cooper talked softly. "I saw you pass out."

"I'm going to need to talk to Angela. Who is she to you?"

"She's my Nanny. She takes care of me and my brother all the time because my Daddy works a lot and I don't have a Mommy." Nevaeh looked at Charlotte remembering now why she was at this doctors office and remembering that Charlotte was her mother from the home movies and pictures she had seen. Her heart rate stared to get fast again. Cooper and Charlotte noticed it on the EKG.

Charlotte went over to the little girl and gently took her hand. "I think you know who I am. Don't you?" Charlotte tried her best to talk in a calm soothing voice even though her heart was racing too.

"Yes. You're my mother. I wanted to come here and see you. It was my brother's idea. We promised my dad if you said there was nothing wrong with me then I would go back to school and never complain again."

"I guess we are going to have to talk to your dad then because there is something wrong."

Charlotte looked at Cooper and he shook his head no.

"Why what's wrong with me? Am I going to die?" Nevaeh started panicking and her heart rate went up again.

"No. No . You're not gonna die" Charlotte reassured her. Your heart just beats different than it should when it beats faster like when you're running or upset. That's what is making you dizzy and pass out. It's fairly common and we have ways to correct it for you."

"Thank you. Nicolas is right you are the best doctor in the world. Those other doctors who told daddy I was making it up are stupid idiot's."

"Your daddy may let you talk like that but it's not gonna fly around here." Charlotte looked at her daughter seriously. "Those doctors were not stupid idiots. You just didn't pass out right in front of them. You didn't have an arrhythmia while you were in their office so they didn't pick up on it."

"Daddy always says I'm faking it. Sometimes he can be such an idiot." Nevaeh sat up crossed her arm in front of her and pouted.

"I already told you we don't use those words in this office. Why would your dad think you were faking it?" Charlotte was trying to act stern but really thought it was amusing to hear her little girl talk like this. Cooper just looked knowing Charlotte was actually enjoying it.

"Because I hate school and he thinks I'm making this up just so I could stay home?"

"Schools fun." Cooper smiled. "I used to love school at your age. You get to read cool books, learn cool things and play with your friends. Why don't you like school?"

"Because everyone else has a mother. Their mother's come in and volunteer. Their mother's come on field trips and come in whenever there is a class party. I hate it. I used to cry in kindergarten and first grade but then I got smart and pretended to be sick whenever there was a class party so I wasn't the only one without a mom. They figured it out and now they never believe anymore when I really am sick." Nevaeh crossed her arms and gave Charlotte the evil eye.

"Like the boy who cried wolf." Cooper saw the look Nevaeh was giving to Charlotte and then Charlotte just looked at him.

"Let me talk to your nanny and let her know what is going on." Cooper left the room and raised his eyebrow at Charlotte. "Be gentle." He told her as he left her alone with Nevaeh.

Charlotte tried her best to remain calm and sat down on the exam table next to Nevaeh. "I don't know what your father told you about me but it wasn't my choice to leave you. I wanted you and your brother but your father won in court. That is why you live with him."

"He told us that but I still want a mother. I hate not having a mother and so does Nicolas. He just doesn't say it because he doesn't want to upset Daddy." Nevaeh looked as Nicolas walked in the room.

Charlotte turned around to see her son. She recognized his big green eyes and little turned up nose. His hair was on the long side for a boy. It was blonde and straight and hung down to his shoulders. She thought he was a very attractive kid not just because he was hers. Nicolas looked at Charlotte. Charlotte was unsure what to do so she just did what she thought was right. She hugged him. The little boy clung on to her tight. He clung on for awhile and wouldn't let go. Charlotte realized how much these children really needed her. Now she was angry. She was angry at her ex for keeping them away from her for so long. "I've missed you Nicolas. Do you remember me at all?" Charlotte broke up the hug and looked into his green eyes.

"I remember a little." Nicolas spoke quietly. "I think I remember you reading me a story at night.

"I did" Charlotte answered. I used to read to you every night before I put you to bed.

"I knew I wasn't imagining it." Nicolas smiled at his mom.

Cooper and Angela came in the room. "Well I spoke with Angela but since she is the nanny she can't make any decisions regarding medical care. One of us is going to have to call their father and tell him what is going on. Do you want to do it or do you want me to?" Cooper asked Charlotte.

Charlotte was shaken up at the idea of having to speak to her ex again. She didn't know why but the idea of talking to him or seeing him terrified her. "You do it!" She answered quickly. Cooper could tell this was not going to be easy,


	28. Chapter 28 Meet Nevaeh

**CHAPTER 28 ************Meet Nevaeh*************************

**Cooper went into his office with Angela to call Ethan Reynolds. Ethan is Charlotte's ex and Nevaeh's father. Angela dialed hid number.**

"_Hello Mr. Reynold's. It's Angela. I'm at the doctor's office with Nevaeh now. They did find a problem. Nevaeh passed out in the office. I'll let you talk with the doctor." _

Cooper took the phone. **"**_Hello. This is Dr. Freedman. I 'm a pediatrician. Nevaeh passed out while in my office. She has an arrhythmia. I would like to do an echocardiogram on her at the hospital tomorrow. But I need your consent. I can have the hospital fax you the papers."_

"_What's an echocardiogram. My God Is she going to be alright?" _Ethan was upset at this news.

"_An echocardiogram is like an ultrasound of the heart. I just want to make sure she doesn't have any type of heart defect. I don't expect her to but we must be cautious". _Cooper tried to reassure Ethan

"_Send me the consent papers. I'll sign them. I'll try and get a flight out there tomorrow afternoon. My ex wife is a Doctor in Los Angeles. Her name is Charlotte King if you have an emergency with Nevaeh Maybe you could try and contact her."_

"_Uhm, I know Charlotte. She is with Nevaeh right now. Let me assure you Nevaeh is fine. She has an arrhythmia so we want to monitor her and conduct the necessary tests .Then we will discuss treatment options with you. But there is no need to rush out to L.A. She will be just fine."_

"_Thank you Dr. Freedman. I appreciate it but I will catch a flight out tomorrow. I will see you then. In the mean time you can get all my numbers from Angela." _

"_Okay then. I guess I will meet you tomorrow. Have a good day." _Cooper hung up.

Cooper wondered if he should have mentioned who he was to Ethan. Ethan had no idea he was speaking to Charlotte's new almost husband. The man his ex-wife was living with. The man his ex-wife had infant twins with. Cooper felt a little guilty that he knew about Ethan but Ethan had no idea who Cooper was. Would Ethan want Cooper taking care of his daughter if he knew who he was?

Cooper and Angela went back into the exam room where Charlotte was waiting talking to Nevaeh and Nicolas.

"Good news Nevaeh. Your father is coming here tomorrow afternoon. He's a little worried about you. I told him you were fine but he still wants to see for himself." Cooper smiled at the little girl.

"Good" Nevaeh answered. "Now maybe he will believe me. I hate him."

Charlotte and Cooper looked at each other surprised.

"Now that's not nice Nevaeh. I always tell you that your father is a good man and you should not talk like that about him. He works very hard to provide for you and your brother." Angela was embarrassed that Nevaeh was talking this way in front of Charlotte and Cooper. Angela turned to Cooper. "Sorry about that but Nevaeh and her father can knock heads sometimes." Cooper just shook his head in response.

"I like Dr. Coop better. He's nice. He believed me right away that I'm not a faker." Nevaeh smiled at Cooper.

Charlotte let out a sigh. "Well I guess we are finished here for today."

"Why don't you come have dinner at our house tonight?" Your grandma King is a good cook and I'm sure she'd rather cook for you then have you eat fast food or hotel food for dinner tonight." Cooper asked. Charlotte looked at him like he was nuts.

Everyone just stared at Cooper in disbelief.

"Wait a minute." Nicolas was the first to ask. You live together. Are you married?" Nicolas asked.

"Not yet." Cooper answered. "We are engaged. We'll be getting married soon."

"Can I be the flower girl?" Nevaeh asked very excited." I always wanted to be a flower girl."

"Uhg. Of course." Cooper answered "As long as it is okay with your dad. We would love to have you as our flower girl."

"Yay!" Nevaeh clapped her hands and smiled.

"Here is our address." He handed a piece of paper to Angela. "Come anytime you like. I'm sure their grandmother would love to spend time with them before dinner.

"Okay" Angela took the paper and placed it in her purse. "Come on children. Let's get going now."

After they left Charlotte looked at Cooper. "What'd you go and do that for?" Charlotte was annoyed.

"What? I invited them over. I thought your mother would like to see her grandchildren. What's the big deal?" Cooper asked.

"What's the big deal?" She smacked him on the arm. "The big deal is I'm not ready for all this." Charlotte yelled at him.

"Ready for what? They're just coming over for dinner. You don't have to do a thing. Your mother will cook. You just have to smile a little. Is that too much to ask?" Cooper rubbed her arm.

Charlotte backed away. "What if they want me to be their mom? I don't know if I'm ready." Charlotte crossed her arms thight against her chest.

"Charlotte. You are their mom. It sounds to me like they really want and need you in their life."

"You don't know my ex. He's going to make this really hard." Charlotte almost seemed like she was afraid of her ex.

"I just talked to him on the phone. He seemed like a decent guy to me." Cooper answered not understanding.

"Yeah. He's a great guy until you cross him and then watch out!" Charlotte looked at Cooper.

"We'll just take things one day at a time Charlotte. That is all we can do."

**

**

**

**Charlotte and Cooper just arrived home from work. Momma King made her home made macaroni and cheese with fried chicken and banana pudding for dinner. That was Charlotte's favorite as a kid so she thought the children might like it too.**

The door bell rang and Cooper answered.

"Come in." Momma King this is Angela the nanny and Nicolas and Nevaeh." Cooper explained.

Momma king pulled both the children into one big bear hug. "I've missed you both terribly. I am your grandmother."

Both children smiled and returned the hug.

"I think I remember you. You used to make chocolate chip cookies with me when you came to visit." Nicolas remembered.

"That's right! You loved to lick the spoon." Momma King was excited Nicolas remembered her. He was almost four the last time she saw him.

"I was just a baby so I don't remember that." Nevaeh was looking for some attention too.

"But I remember you baby girl." Momma King gave Nevaeh another hug. "Come sit down dinner is ready. I hope y'all like macaroni and cheese and fried chicken." Momma King showed them to the table.

"Yeah. We love it." Nicolas answered.

Everyone sat at the table. Nicolas and Nevaeh did most of the talking. They told everyone about their school and teacher's in Maryland. Nicolas told about his guitar lessons and soccer games. Nevaeh talked mainly about how she hated school and no one ever believed her about the dizzy spells. Cooper and Momma King would ask questions. Charlotte was quiet and just took everything in.

"Waaaahh" Baby Sarah started to cry. Charlotte got up to go get her out of the bassinet in the other room.

"What's that?" Nevaeh asked sounding alarmed.

"That is a baby." Momma King laughed.

Charlotte came back to the table holding Sarah. Nevaeh looked horrified.

"Whose baby is it?" She asked with a sound of alarm to her voice.

"She's our baby." Cooper answered. "That would make her your baby sister." Cooper smiled at the little girl.

"But I thought I was your only little girl." Nevaeh looked back and forth at Charlotte and Sarah with a shocked look on her face.

"You have a baby brother too. Sarah's twin. He's asleep in the other room." Cooper told her.

"I want to go home now. Angela take us home!" Nevaeh got up and ran towards the front door.

"Wait up Nevaeh! You are being very rude." Angela told her.

"I want to go home now. I want to go back to Maryland." Now Nevaeh was crying. The tears were streaming down her face.

Angela and Momma King ran over to hug her.

Charlotte looked at Cooper and told him "I told you this was a bad idea."

Nevaeh pushed Angela and Momma King way from her. "Get away from me she cried. I just want to go home. I want my daddy." The girl was getting hysterical. She tried to run away from them but right before she reached the door she feel to the ground unconscious.

"Oh no" Cooper yelled and ran over to her.

Charlotte gave the baby to Momma King and ran over and knelt beside Nevaeh checking her pulse.

"I think this was a really bad idea coming to Los Angeles. I just wanna go home." Nicolas told Angela.

Cooper picked Nevaeh up and laid her on the couch waiting for her heart rate to come down.

"Take the babies out of here." He told Momma King "She's starting to wake up now. Take the babies for a walk. I don't want her to see them when she wakes up."

"I'll help Momma get them ready." Charlotte said.

"No Charlotte. Let Angela help Momma with the babies. Nevaeh needs you. Get over here and hold her hand."

Charlotte looked at Cooper. She didn't like the way he was giving her orders but she knew he was right. Nevaeh needed her. She sat down next to the girl on the couch and held her hand as the child opened her eyes and looked at her.

"Momma? Nevaeh said with a weak voice.

"Yes, I'm here Nevaeh." Charlotte smiled at her.

Nevaeh looked at Cooper and he smiled back. "You're going to be okay Nevaeh. We'll take care of you."

"But you don't need me. You have other children. I didn't know." Nevaeh was sad.

"We have the twins but they're just babies. It'll be years before they could go to the movies. I always wanted a little girl to take to the movies so I didn't look foolish when I went to see something like Alice in Wonderland." Cooper smiled at her.

"I want to see that too." Nevaeh answered. "You can take me. I'll go see it with you so you don't look foolish."

"That's a deal" Cooper gave her a high five and Nevaeh gave Cooper a hug. Charlotte looked at the two of them and smiled.


	29. Chapter 29 Ethan

**CHAPTER 29 ***********ETHAN************************************

**Cooper was waiting in his office for Nevaeh's father Ethan to come in and talk about the results of the tests. Charlotte had some business to take care of at the hospital so Cooper would meet with Ethan alone.**

Ethan arrived and approached Cooper with a firm handshake. "Good afternoon Dr. Freedman. I'm Ethan Reynold's. Nevaeh's father." Ethan was a nice looking guy who obviously kept himself in good shape Cooper noticed.

"Good after noon 's" Cooper returned the handshake.

"Please call me Ethan. How is Nevaeh? What did the tests show?" Ethan was obviously very concerned about his daughter.

"She has an arrhythmia which is fairly common. It needs to be treated since she tends to faint when her heart rate is elevated. You have several options. We can try medication or a pacemaker and the last would be surgery." Cooper advised.

"I don't know. Surgery on the heart makes me nervous. Maybe I'll try the medication. I'll have to talk to my ex wife since she is a doctor. She'll know what's best."

"I already talked to Charlotte about it and we agreed the pacemaker would be the best way to go for Nevaeh. Like you said we want to avoid surgery if we could and we would rather not have her take medication every day. It's a simple procedure to place a pacemaker and I think that would be her best option" Cooper explained.

"Okay. I still want to talk to my ex wife about it first. Do you know where I could find her?"

"She's at the hospital right now working. I should tell you that Charlotte is my fiancée." Cooper just told him straight and waited for a reaction.

Ethan looked at him for a minute and then said "Congratulations" and walked away.

Cooper wasn't sure what to make of Ethan's reaction. He figured it had been so long since Ethan and Charlotte ever spoke that it didn't really bother Ethan much.

Ethan approached Charlotte in her office at the hospital.

"Good afternoon" Ethan said as he sat down in one of the chairs. "I just met your fiancée Dr. Freedman. Seems like you hooked yourself a nice guy. Wonder how long it will take you to screw up that relationship too?"

"Hello Ethan" Charlotte chose to ignore his comment. "What brings you to my office?"

"Cut the crap Charlotte. You know why I'm here. What do you suggest we do about Nevaeh?"

"I thought you already spoke with Cooper? We think a pacemaker would be best ." Charlotte started explaining. "You really need to meet with the cardiologist about it. He would be the one to do the procedure. Here's his name and number." Charlotte handed him a business card.

"Fine I'll do that but I'm talking about what to do about Nevaeh and you?"

Charlotte didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

"Nevaeh is miserable. She resents me because I took them away from you?"

"Do you blame her?" Charlotte interrupted.

"She doesn't know the whole story. I've shielded them from your drug use and other stuff that went on. They don't know why I took them away from you. They just think I'm mean. I'm the bad guy in their eyes." Ethan seemed agitated.

"That was a bad time in my life that came and went. As you can see I'm chief of Staff here and I work with Cooper at that office too. I got my act together a long time ago and am doing well. I'd like to be part of their lives again."

Ethan got up gave Charlotte a glare and walked out.

Cooper stopped by Charlotte's office on the way home to pick her up.

"Are you ready to go home? Momma's making her chicken cornbread casserole tonight. I can't wait." Cooper grabbed Charlotte's purse for her.

"Yup. I guess so." Charlotte answered in a mopey voice

"What's wrong? I could tell something's wrong" Cooper insisted.

Charlotte answered annoyed. "Ethan stopped by." They walked out of her office through the hall.

"Yeah. He told me he wanted to talk to you about Nevaeh. He decided to go with the pacemaker. The cardiologist called. He's meeting with Ethan to discuss it "

"Ethan told me the kids resent him for not letting them see me. They think he is the bad guy." Charlotte still seemed annoyed.

"That's good. Maybe he'll let you start seeing them then." Cooper smiled.

"I don't get the feeling he's going to make it easy but I'm gonna fight this time. You gonna help me Cooper?

As Cooper and Charlotte walked through the parking lot they heard a little girl's voice.

"Doctor Coop" Neveah yelled excited as she ran through the parking lot and gave Cooper a big hug . "When are you taking me to see Alice and Wonderland?"

Ethan walked over with Nicolas and Angela. "So I hear you promised the kids you would take them to the movies?"

"Yeah. If that's okay with you?" Cooper tried to be polite as Charlotte watched the exchange.

"I'll let them go only as long as you are there Dr. Freedman. I don't want the children left alone with my ex wife." Ethan glared at Charlotte.

"I'll be there but I assure you Charlotte is perfectly capable of being left alone with the children. She's a great mother to our twins."

"I'd watch out if I was you." Ethan told Cooper as he continued to glare at Charlotte.

Charlotte started to look very uncomfortable. "That was along time ago Ethan. Let it go!" Charlotte walked away and got in her car.

Cooper got into the car with Charlotte. "What was that all about?" Cooper scrunched up his face. "That was strange."

"Just stuff that happened a long time ago Coop. Don't worry about it." Charlotte answered as she started driving away.

Cooper looked at her. He got the feeling there was something Charlotte didn't want him to know about.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 ************ Another Secret?************************

As the morning sun came streaming through the large bay bedroom window Cooper awoke. He pressed his lips against Charlotte's until he saw her green eyes open up and meet his.

"Good Mornin' " She said playfully as she started to pull off his t-shirt. Charlotte liked to get her itches scratched as the sun came up.

"Morning to you too." He grins. The hot kisses start and the night clothes start peeling off. Then.........

"Waaahhh!" Sarah is wailing and loud.

Cooper tries to ignore it but it gets louder **"WAAH" "WAAH." **Cooper starts to pull away from Charlotte.

"No Cooper. Maybe Momma will get her." Charlotte pulls Coopers torso back on top of hers.

"No." Cooper says defeated. "Momma does the 2 am feed. It' my turn ." Cooper gets up and pulls his shorts back on. "The joys of parenthood" He says rather sarcastically as he walks out of the room to get Sarah.

Charlotte lies back down and shifts onto her back while she waits for Cooper to come into the room with Sarah. Charlotte's wondering how much longer it will be until Michael starts wailing and she has to get up and feed him. Maybe she could catch a few more winks of sleep. She closes her eyes again. She doesn't get much shut eye when she feels the weight of Cooper plopping down on the bed next to her.

"So do you want to talk?" Cooper asks as he starts to feed Sarah her bottle.

"About what?" Charlotte still has her eyes closed.

"About what happened yesterday in the parking lot with Ethan."

"I want to go back to sleep." Charlotte turns onto her side facing away from Cooper.

"I get the feeling there is something you're not telling me." Cooper glances over at her but she has her back to him.

Charlotte doesn't answer. She is not sure if or how she should tell him this. She thinks he will never look at her the same. He may not trust her around the twins anymore if he knew. Truth is it's not something she wants anyone to know about. Momma doesn't even know. Only Ethan and her best friend know and they wouldn't tell. Well Ethan might if she tries to pursue custody of the kids.

"Charlotte, I wont push you but you know you can tell me anything". He wanted so badly for her to trust him.

She takes a deep breath hesitates and then says "It's nothing." She still has her back to him.

He doesn't believe her. "Charlotte" he says in a low soothing voice "Let me help you. There is something wrong. I know. I can tell."

She wants to trust him. She doesn't want to keep secrets from him. She tries to pull the courage together to get the words out. She gulps and then she starts. Her throat is dry and she is nervous about what he will think. She turns over shifting onto her back again and stares above at the trey ceiling. The inner part of the trey ceiling is painted light blue and there are some clouds painted to mimick the sky, It was comforting to look at and so she did. She started talking really low and quiet as if she didn't want Sarah to hear.

"Well" She gulped hard. "Remember I told you I went through a rough time after Chelsea died. I got addicted to valium and stuff."

"Yeah" Cooper replied. This was old news. He thought it was cute how she didn't want the baby to hear.

"Well there was something else. Something bad." Charlotte looked at him to see his reaction, then quickly looked back up at the trey ceiling.

"Something else bad happened to you?" Cooper stared at her with his brow furrowed. My God he thought what worse could she have gone through? He felt knots in his stomach thinking about what hell her life was before he met her. He loved her and hated to think how much she had suffered. He wished he knew her back then to comfort her.

"No. Not to me" She glanced over to see if he was still looking at her. He wasn't. He was looking at Sarah finishing up the last of her bottle. "I did something."

"What did you do?" Now Cooper turned back to look at her with an intrigued expression.

Charlotte took a couple of deep breaths. This was hard to say. She was trying to think of the right words. She had a hard time getting them out. "I…… I…. I didn't know what I was doing at the time. I was in a bad frame of mind at the time. It was probably from all the pills I had been taking. And from the grief. I…..I…. I just..."

Cooper was listening intently. He wanted to tell her just spit it out but he didn't dare.

"I just didn't….." Then there it was.

"Waaah! Waaah!" Baby Michael woke up and was crying.

"I gotta go get Michael" Charlotte said as she quickly got up, pulled on her robe and hurried out of the room to the nursey.

"We're gonna finish this when you get back." Cooper yelled at her as she went down the hall.

Cooper looked at Sarah. "Your Momma got saved by the Waah." He told her as he kissed her head and lifted her up to his shoulder to burp her. "Your Momma is a good lady. We don't care what she did. We'll always love her. Right?" He said to baby Sarah as he gently patted her back waiting for her to burp.

"I hope you mean that." Charlotte replied as she walked back in the room with Michael .

She sat on the bed with Michael. She opened her nightgown just enough so he could nurse and looked at Cooper. "Promise me you mean that." She looked up at him until their eyes met. Her eyes were sad.

"I promise I mean it." He gave her a soft peck on the forehead. "You tell me whenever you're ready."

**Please Review!**. Let me know if you want me to update more on this story or my other one. I get more reviews on my other story so I have been updating it more.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 ************Beach Scene***************************

Charlotte and Cooper just dropped the kids back off at Ethan's hotel after taking them to the movie's.

"That was fun" cooper smiled and put his hand on Charlotte's knee as they were driving home in the car. "I haven't been to see a kids' movie probably since I was a kid."

Charlotte smiled and shot him a sarcastic look. " Figured you'd like kids movies."

"What?" Cooper was slightly insulted. "You're telling me you didn't enjoy that?"

"It was fine." Charlotte replied not wanting to admit how much she really enjoyed the movie.

"I saw you watching. Your eyes were glued to the screen" Cooper wasn't giving up he wanted her to admit she liked it.

"You should've been lookin' at the movie not me." Charlotte shot back.

"Alright at least admit you had a good time with the kids this afternoon. It was fun spending the afternoon with them." Cooper conceded to the movie issue.

" It was nice." Charlotte replied

"I think you should talk to Ethan about getting partial custody of them. This way we can see them more. We could go to more of those kids movies." Cooper joked.

"Maybe you should try rentin' a kid if you want to see those movies so bad." Charlotte tried to be funny and change the subject off of custody at the same time.

"Funny but I really think you should talk to Ethan about custody."

"Can we just drop it Cooper?" Charlotte started to sound annoyed.

"I don't get it Charlotte? Those kids want and need you and I know deep down you want them too. Why you don't at least talk to Ethan about it."

Charlotte just stayed quiet. She was thinking she would have to tell Cooper the truth. He was never going to let up with this. She wasn't sure. She thought about how badly he reacted the time she told him she was married and kept it a secret. She had no idea how we would react to hearing the rest. But if she didn't tell him and he pursued this custody issue maybe Ethan might tell him. That would be worse.

"Let's not go home yet Cooper. Drive to the beach. I feel like taking a walk."

"Okay." Cooper wasn't sure what was going on. He always enjoyed walking on the beach with Charlotte. He changed direction and drove towards the water.

Once at the beach they both took their shoes off and walked bare foot in the sand. They walked side by side near the water. Cooper grabbed Charlotte's hand and she gave him a small smile. He could tell something was troubling his pretty blonde fiancée and it pained him.

"What's wrong Charlotte? I know something's on your mind?"

"I want to tell ya don't want you to look at me differently after. That's all."

"I promise. I wont." Cooper stopped and looked right into her eyes.

"Okay then. Here goes." Charlotte took a long deep breath then sighed and sat down in the sand.

Cooper sat down beside her and took her delicate hand in his playing with her gold chain bracelet.

Charlotte watched him play with the bracelet and started talking. "Losing Chelsea was the hardest thing that ever happened to me." Charlotte began.

Cooper still spinning the bracelet raised his eyes to her and said. "The experts say burying a child is the worst thing that can happen to a person."

"Yup." Charlotte agreed "Especially when you blame yourself. Ethan blamed me and we split up."

"You already told me that Charlotte." Cooper interrupted.

"What I didn't tell you was that after we split up I started feeling really down. The house was empty. Chelsea was gone. I was used to the house being full of her and her friends playing and making all sorts of noise. Can't tell ya how many times I told that girl to just be quiet and now all I wished for was her noisy playing. Nicolas spent most of the day at daycare. I wanted to keep his life as normal as possible so I still sent em' there and then Ethan would pick him up and spend time with him after work. So it was really just me and Nevaeh all the time. She was a tiny baby then. But she was all I had. I took her to the doctor one day and they discoverd a heart murmur. They wanted me to take her for studies of her heart."

"So they already knew she had something wrong with her heart back then?" Cooper was confused he thought the arrhythmia was a new thing.

"They told me about the murmur but I never did anything about it. I didn't tell anyone or take her for the tests they wanted."

"Why?" Cooper was shocked.

" I just couldn't deal with it if they told me she was sick, if they told me she had a heart defect and she was gonna die or be really sick." Charlotte grabbed the hand with the bracelet away and started playing with it now.

Cooper interrupted. "Charlotte you're a doctor."

"But first I was a parent. A parent who didn't want to lose another kid. I told you Cooper I wasn't thinking straight."

"So what happened?" Cooper asked casually .

Charlotte started picking up the sand in her hands and letting it flow back down through her fingers. She looked straight ahead over the ocean. "Isn't it beautiful Cooper? The ocean. I mean it goes on and on. All you can see is sky and water."

"Yup, it is. Now Charlotte tell me what happened." Cooper grabbed her hand again. Her

playing with the sand was starting to grate on him.

Charlotte took a deep breath . She was coming to the part she never talked about to anyone since that day it happened. She didn't look at him. She just stared straight across the ocean looking at the water meet the sky.

"I was feelin' down and didn't wanna' entertain the idea of buryin' another one of my kids. So I decided to fix the problem myself."

"How?" Cooper was afraid to hear the answer because he knew it wasn't going to be good since Charlotte never talked about it.

"Went to the store and bought a few bottles of those over the counter nighttime sleeping aids. The strongest strength I could find. Went home crushed some up and put them in Nevaeh's bottle. Then I swallowed the rest myself."

Cooper just looked at her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

Charlotte still didn't look at him. She just stared straight ahead over the ocean and continued. "I sat down on the couch and started to feed Nevaeh the bottle. I put it in her mouth and then she looked up at me with these wide innocent eyes and I couldn't go through with it. I took the bottle out of her mouth and flung it across the room. I called my best friend Nikki who also happens to be a doctor. I told her what I did. She called an ambulance and Ethan. Ethan got there first. I barely remember it. The the sleeping pills were taking affect on me." Charlotte turned to look at Cooper.

Cooper had his head hung down between his knees and was just staring down at the sand.

Charlotte wasn't sure what to make of his reaction so she just pushed ahead. "Turns out Ethan poured the bottle down the sink so nobody would know that I almost killed her. The baby was okay she barely took a sip of the bottle before I pulled it out of her mouth. I was unconscious. They took me in the ambulance and admitted me to the hospital. That's when the shrinks prescribed all those shrink drugs on me. Of course Ethan took the kids to live with him. There was really no custody fight. He made me sign the kids over to him or he would tell everyone I tried to kill Nevaeh. I signed the papers. After that I started abusing the pills because the only time I felt okay was when I was taking them. Got a little out of hand. My friends started noticin'. Sent me to rehab where I got straightened out and here I am now with you.

Cooper looked at her , tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry Charlotte. I understand why you wouldn't want to tell anyone. "He grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him. Charlotte was looking down at the sand. "Charlotte I want you to be able to tell me anything. Did you think I could ever hate you?"

"Look what I did. I almost killed my baby. Look how you reacted when you thought Evan's stepfather was abusing him. I mean what would you think of me if you knew what I was capable of?" Charlotte pleaded.

"But you didn't do it Charlotte. You couldn't do it. Because you're a good person Charlotte you're a good person. You're a great mom." Cooper pulled her into a hug. "You were grieving Charlotte. It's okay."

Charlotte returned the hug and held on to Cooper tight. She was relieved he reacted this way and didn't get all angry at her. "Thanks Coop. I didn't think you were going to understand. Wasn't sure if you'd try to take the twins away from me if ."

Now Cooper pulled away from Charlotte and looked at her. He put both his hands on her shoulders and replied in a stern voice. "I would never do that to you. Ever."

Charlotte gave him a little smile and tried to hold back the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes. Cooper pulled her in for another hug and she let her head rest against his neck. She felt secure and hidden in there and let the tears fall. She didn't think Cooper could tell. She hated to let him see her cry or be weak. Cooper could feel her tears dripping down under his shirt. He pretended not to notice because he knew her too well. He just squeezed her in tighter and kissed her head. "I'll always love you Charlotte." He whispered as he held her. Charlotte looked up at him with wet eyes and whispered back at him. "I love you too. Cooper." This was a big step for Charlotte. Cooper knew. Charlotte had always had a hard time expressing herself but now she told him all her secrets and told him she loved him right here on the sand at the beach. He knew he better not screw this up. He wanted to help her fix this. He wanted to help her get her kids back. He was going to deal with Ethan. He was the man after all. At least he liked to think that.


	32. Chapter 32 Fun Times

**CHAPTER 32**

"Charlotte! Charlotte!" Cooper yelled up the stairs. "I'm going to take Nicolas out to play some basketball with Pete, Sam and Dink. Tell Momma we'll be home for dinner."

"Fine" Charlotte yelled back down the stairs.

"When can I play basketball with them?" Nevaeh asked

"When your recovered." Charlotte reminds the little girl.

"But it's not fair Nicholas gets to play."

"You need to heal from the pacemaker surgery. Then you can play."

"But I am healed otherwise Daddy wouldn't have gone back to Maryland."

"Your father went back because he had important work to tend to but you still need to heal." Charlotte insists.

"It's not fair. It's boring staying home with you and these stupid babies!" Nevaeh yells.

"Don't you get sassy with me little girl or you'll see…."

The Doorbell rings.

Charlotte answers the door to find Addison standing with a gift. " I have something for Nevaeh." Addison is cheerful.

"Come on in. She's in the living room." Charlotte shows her in.

"Hi Nevaeh. Do you remember me? I work with your mom and I thought you might need some cheering up after your procedure." Addison hand her the gift.

"OH WOW" Nevaeh is excited. "Addie brought me the singing video game. Can I play it now?"

"Thanks Montgomery. You mind setting it up for the kid? I have to feed the twins. Just stick it in the box near the tv. Nevaeh can do the rest."

"Uh, Sure Charlotte. I guess I'm staying a little while then." Addison replies.

"Good. Then you can sing with me." Nevaeh set up the video game to the tv.

"Let's sing Party in the USA first ok Addie."

"Yeah .Sure." Addison starts singing hoping Charlotte can't hear her upstairs. Good thing Momma King and Cooper aren't home.

0000000000000000000

A short time later Cooper, Pete Sam and Niclolas all come in the door. Addison is caught off guard singing rather loudly and off key to Tears on My guitar. Pete, Sam and Cooper try to contain their laughter. Addison turns around when she hears some snickering.

"Oh my God.! How long have you been standing there?" Addison is embarrassed.

"Long enough." Pete snickers.

Charlotte comes down the stairs since she notices the singing has stopped.

"Why are you back so fast?" She asks Cooper.

"Cooper took a hard one to the face" Sam informs.

Charlotte could see his cheek was bruised and swollen and his eye was starting to change color. "Come on Cooper. I'll fix you up."

Cooper followed Charlotte into the kitchen where she gave him some ice for his cheek and eye. "It would feel a lot better if you gave me some kisses." Charlotte gently pressed her lips on his eye. "Keep going." Cooper tells.

"I thought you were supposed to be hurt?" Charlotte smiles.

Now the group in the living room are all getting in on the game. "Is that Pete singing?" Cooper wrinkles his forehead and asks.

"I believe it is." Charlotte answers. "I had to keep my ears plugged upstairs the whole time Addison was singing. But it was nice of her to bring Nevaeh the game. It made Nevaeh happy. She was grouching at me how bored she was."

Cooper and Charlotte join the others in the living room where they are taking turns singing to the Karaoke game.

"Hey Coop. We were talking while you were in the kitchen. Pacific Wellcare challenges Oceanside Wellness to a basketball game."

"Are you kidding?" Cooper laughs. "We'll whip you guys."

"It's going to be co-ed too. So I got Naomi, Sheldon and a few others. Maybe Fife could play in his wheelchair." "You have Sam, Charlotte and Addison on your team" Pete boasts.

"No Problem! Easy game!" Cooper gloats

"Alright. Then let's do it." Pete shakes his hand. "Losing clinic buys a catered dinner for the winning clinic.

"I guess we'll have to practice our basketball Charlotte." Addison sighs.

"Can I come too?" Nevaeh tugs on Addison's shirt.

"Yeah sure you can Sweety " Addison smiles to her "How would you like me to take you out of this place since all these crazy adults are playing your singing game. Let's go get some ice cream." You can come too Nicolas" Addison invites.

"Just make sure she takes it easy Montgomery. She's still recoverin.' " Charlotte advises.

"Don't worry Charlotte. I'm a doctor. Remember?" Addison says as they walk out the door.

Charlotte says goodbye but not too enthusiastically. "What's wrong" Cooper asks

"I don't think she likes me." Charlotte replies snippy.

"Who Addison?"

"No I'm talkin' bout Nevaeh. Don't you see how well she gets along with Addison and she's so snippy with me." Charlotte snaps at Cooper.

"That's because you're her mother and besides Addison just brought her a gift."

"I hope that's all it is." Charlotte replies

"Well what else could it be?." Cooper asks

"I don't know. Maybe she senses something." Charlotte wonders

"No That's just your own guilt talking Charlotte. I think maybe you should talk to Violet about it." Cooper suggests

"No Way Cooper! No one is to know what I told you that day at the beach. No one ever! Charlotte barks at him.

"Okay. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone." Cooper hugs her. "I'm just trying to help."

"The best way to help me is to keep your mouth shut." Charlotte answers him.

Cooper doesn't think this is the best way but for know he agrees to keep his mouth shut.

**PLEASE REVIEW- Sorry it took so long to update. **


	33. Chapter 33 Trouble Ahead

**Chapter 33 Trouble Ahead**

**Charlotte and Addison had been practicing every evening after work for the upcoming basketball game against Pacific Wellcare.**

"Okay Mom. Dribble the ball quickly, pass it to Addie and let Addie put it in the hoop." Nicolas instructs.

Charlotte passes the ball to Addison who bounces it off the rim.

"Oh come on Montgomery! Practice your shooting. We have to win this game." Charlotte shouts wiping the sweat from her brow.

"A little competitive? Huh Charlotte?" Addison teases.

"I can't lose against Pacific Wellcare." Charlotte tosses the ball to Addison. "Now shoot and do it right this time."

Addison shoots and it bounces off the rim again. "Why don't I pass and you shoot this time Michael Jordan?" Addison teases.

"I would if I wasn't so damn short. Too bad we can't lower these nets." Charlotte grumbles , shoots and nails the basket.

Everyone cheers. Nicolas and Nevaeh begin jumping up and down. "Score Mom! You scored!" They both yell.

Cooper and Sam came over dressed in their sweats. "What's all the excitement?" Cooper smiles and asks.

"Mom got a basket." Nicolas brags.

"Congratulations!" Cooper high fives Charlotte and then goes to kiss her. "A little sweaty huh?" He laughs. "Looks like you ladies have been playing hard."

"Yeah. A little too hard" Addison grabs a swig from her water bottle and then pours the rest over her head. "I'm done for today."

"Oh come on Addison. Let's see what you got." Sam yells "You're not afraid to go up against me and Coop, Are you?

Addison turns around. "No way. Let's go Charlotte. Let's show these guys."

After running around the court passing the ball back and forth for about fifteen minutes the score was tied. Charlotte noticed Cooper was slowing down.

"Come on Coop" Sam yelled . "We can't let a couple of women beat us."

Addison passed the ball to Charlotte who placed it in the net breaking the tie and putting the ladies ahead.

"YES!" Addison and Charlotte high five each other.

"Okay, Coop! We're better than this" Sam urged. "Let's show them how the game is really played." Sam urged, dribbling across the court and passing the ball to Coop. "Come on! Shoot Coop."

Cooper dribbled toward the net, jumped up, shot the ball, scored and then collapsed on the ground.

"Score!" Nicolas yelled. "Now you're tied."

Sam noticed Cooper fall to the ground first and ran over to him.

Cooper was cold and clammy and clutching his chest.

"Are you alright? What happened man?" Sam asked as he got down on the ground next to Coop.

"My Chest. I'm having chest pain." Cooper winces and answers short of breath.

"Call an ambulance." Sam yells out while checking Cooper's pulse.

Charlotte and Addison run over. "What's wrong?" Charlotte yells the fear evident in her voice as she sees Cooper clutching his chest.

"Let's just all stay calm." Addison puts her hand on Charlotte's shoulder and looks her eye to eye. "You have to be calm Charlotte, both for Cooper's sake and for your children who are watching." Addison nods towards Nicolas and Nevaeh

Charlotte takes a deep breath. "Okay." She says as she sits down next to Cooper. "Hang on Coop. You're gonna to be fine." She tells him as she gently grabs his hand and carresses it.

Addison goes over to check on the children.

"What's wrong with Coop?" Nevaeh asks.

"He'll be okay." Addison answers. "I'm gonna bring you home to your grandma now."

The ambulance arrives. Sam yells to the attendants. "He's having a heart attack. Let's get him to the hospital now".

Charlotte hops in the ambulance with Cooper holding his hand the whole time. "Don't leave me Cooper. That's an order. You hear? You're not allowed to leave me."

**Reviews are always nice! : )**


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